BOUNDLESS: Season 2
by eonsofmemories
Summary: This is mainly a story of a girl Kim and a boy Jack who reject each other on the day of their marriage, but they get married. How the story moves ahead is the main crux of this passionate love story. S2. KICK.
1. The Forced Marriage

**AN: Season 2 Already?! I just can't thank all of you enough for all your immense love and appreciation for this story! None of my other stories have reached a sequel/season 2, so this is really exciting! I hope all of you continue loving the story :) xx  
**

******Prologue: The Forced Marriage  
**

******This chapter is more of a recap of the first season, just to get everyone on the same page. I would still advise you to go read the first season of Boundless tho, things will be a lot more clearer for you. But you could make do with this prologue and move ahead with the story :) **

* * *

"YOUR pure-soul SON," Brett's uncle roared as he alleged at Marcus, pointing his index finger at him, "was _wrapped around," _and then pointed his finger at Chuck standing beside him near the pews, "YOUR pure-soul DAUGHTER!" He'd seen it with his own eyes - that boy sucking faces with - oh, he couldn't even complete the thought in his brain. How horrendous! He didn't care about the dowry - it was wrong. But as an officer doing his duty, he felt it right to inform how immoral both their respective son and daughter was.

Things got more heated up when Kim sent a blowing slap to Brett's cheek, furious at getting to know that he had demanded dowry in 'compensation' for her 'immoral' deed, and immediately called off her marriage with him.

* * *

Opening the door to her room, she stepped inside, and after shutting it with a click she bolted it and just stood with her back pressed against it. Softly, she cried. Slowly, she shook her head and even as she finally unclenched her fists and felt a sharp sting of pain in the soft palms, her legs felt suddenly paralyzed, causing her to sink to the floor, soundlessly.

She was unable to collect her thoughts, which were now all over the place. She had called off her marriage. Her _wedding_. That wedding that she had only dreamed of. That Prince Charming - her hopes, her aspirations were all shattered into broken shards of glass the moment she learned of Brett's true nature.

Incessant tears rolled off her chin as waterfalls of droplets cascaded down her glistening face. She was angry - angry at herself for believing in such a man... Of such a fantasized world.

But she then realized that that wasn't the reason for her tears. She didn't care that her wedding was called off. But the fact that because of the events that had surpassed, her parents' honour, reputation, and dignity was tarnished to ashes. She could do nothing but watch as Brett and his family publicly ridiculed her and her family. She couldn't live with herself - a mere stain on her parents' integrity reflected a whole bunch of stains on her own integrity. Her parents were her world - her everything. She had no way to fix the humiliation that her parents had to face because of her.

* * *

One could endearingly term him as 'an idiot.' Why? Because he was such a boy. He did stuff without thinking of the consequences. His actions were mostly dipped in harmless selfishness. Summarizing it, he never seemed as the mature type. A person could feel like face-palming over his bad-timing and the habit of being at the wrong place at the wrong time because it always brought trouble to others, especially Kim.

But that person would be wrong. For the first time, the man Jack Anderson had emerged. The one Marcus called his "pride". The man who Kim dreamed of as her soul mate. Today showed that he truly was so much more beneath the exterior of childishness. There resided a man there.

It started when he heard her sob and turned around to see.

Jack realized he forgot his phone in Kim's room, 'his love' per se, and climbed a ladder up to her room to get it; he saw his phone on her dressing table and picked it up; he was just about to leave when he heard quiet sobs from a corner in the room, and turned around to find her on the floor, hugging her knees, her back against the closed front door.

He could've gone but he chose to stay. Maybe because he was curious or maybe because he instinctively knew that something was wrong with her. He was genuinely concerned when he asked her the reason behind her tears. "Kim? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

And she? She was mad seeing the reason behind her parent's insult standing in front of her, asking oh-so-innocently why she was crying.

But he didn't know that, the man was still hidden.

He walked over to her petite shaken frame, kneeling down on his feet in front of her to her level, as she dared not move a muscle. Concern was dripping from his very body movement. Be it the eyes that had gotten soft or the safe distance between them. Distance enough that they were apart but proximity enough that she would know, _'Hey, I'm here for you.'_

But in her mind there was a storm.

A storm - of memories, of lies, of insults, of mistakes. And there was only one to be blamed.

Jack Anderson.

She abruptly stood up, causing him to stand up as well, facing her. "Why did you come here." Her voice was flat, void of emotion.

"WHY DID YOU EVEN COME TO GARDENIA?!" She roared, her anger knew no bounds. She roughly grabbed the collar of his jacket.

"What the HELL do I do about Mom and Dad's reputation and honour being torn to pieces! Huh! All because of YOUUU!"

Her hands balled up into fists, she started to hit him again and again on his upper chest, frustrated with him. "I HATE YOU JACK, I HATE YOU I HATE YOU." She said the words repeatedly as she hit him, and she cried. He stood by initially and kept being hit. But by then, the man within had taken charge. She was right but she was so wrong. Her words were right, her anger justified but her actions were so wrong. Her blows wouldn't hurt him but only increase her pain, the helpless pain of seeing her parents be insulted. His apologies were of no use and maybe he knew. Maybe that's why he gathered her close and gave her what she needed the most at that time. A comforting hug as he brought her into his arms, her head against his chest.

A shoulder to lean and someone to say that she wasn't alone. He, as a man, admitted his fault. Something the childish him wouldn't do. In that moment, he truly was a man who apologized and meant it. "I'm sorry, Kim. I'm sorry." He said again and again. He didn't know his actions could have such dire consequences.

That broke her down even more. What was she to do when she didn't even have him to blame? He came out and he apologized. So she cried and he couldn't bear it. He consoled her, brought her closer still and in a calm soothing voice told her to relax and calm herself down. Like a real man would.

* * *

He came in, and declared it wasn't his fault. Jack chose the easy way out, putting all the blame on Kim. And this was the spark, to the firework of emotions waiting to burst.

The result - a slap to his precious son. Dished out in the heat of the moment, yet out of love for Kim and her family.

Before he knew what was happening, Marcus delivered a definitive slap to his son's cheek. He struck him with a sound like the cracking of a bullwhip. His hand stung from the impact as Jack clutched his cheek in shock and pain, his eyes wide at his father's horrific action. His violent slap was so harsh that his body almost hurled towards the ground if he hadn't held his feet steady.

He wasn't the only one shocked by his actions. Stunned, Kim gaped away with wide eyes as Jack slowly, painfully turned his face towards a glaring Marcus, his hand still clutched on his cheek.

* * *

Before he knew it, his father harshly dragged him down the halls of the home, right to Chuck's room.

He let go of his son inside Chuck's room as he whirled him around to face a weak, pale Chuck lying on his bed. He could barely manage to lift his head to look up at a sullen Jack whose gaze was directed towards the floor. In fact, he couldn't make eye to contact with anyone in the room - the image of an almost dying Chuck, a shaken Serena, and a tear-stricken Grey as she sat in the corner if her father's bed, distraught by his delicate condition - made guilt fill him by the rim.

"_He_ has committed the mistake," his eyes blazed with fury and disgust as he glared at his son, "and _he_ is the one who is going to pay for it."

And in the next sentence he spoke, he had dropped the beautiful bomb - "By _marrying _Kim."

Just hearing the mere word 'marry' was enough for Jack to widen his pupils, looking up from the ground. He was stunned to the core as he looked at his father. He looked for any signs on his face to indicate that this was all a dream, a big joke - but he wasn't. Just one look at the glowering expression on Marcus's face told him that this was no joke.

He had never experienced a wide array of emotions in his life before. First, calmness as he simply looked down, unaware of Marcus's decision; then shock at his words; and then - he felt frozen, unable to fathom that his father would do this to him.

No sooner than Marcus had declared his decision, Kim stood right behind Jack. She was stunned, shocked as her favourite Uncle's words echoed into her ears - _"he has committed the mistake, and he is the one who is going to pay for it. By marrying Kim."_ Her eyes became moist with tears once again - these words hurt more than the allegations that Brett and his family had instilled on her and her family.

Pain clearly reflected on both of their faces. So much so that if one could zoom into Jack's eyes, they were clearly red and filled to the brim with hurt, and so were Kim's.

* * *

"I'll go tell Dad right now and say no. This wedding won't happen."

"Promise." She shook his hand as her words echoed into her ears, and his lips fully curved upwards into a smile. Albeit it seemed like a simple business negotiation, it wasn't. It was a promise to him, an oath that he was sure she'd stick by. He was sure of it.

The deal was sealed - she would tell her father that she wasn't ready for this marriage. The duo gave each other an 'it's a strict business only' kind of a look. Like it was their last conversation before they said goodbye to each other forever. It didn't end on a happy note, or on a bitter note - just on a normal one. The kind that said - no hard feelings?

* * *

Chuck managed to smile and let out a breathless laugh at the boy in front of him. He was glad to hear that Jack was okay with all this. Now he had no tension, no worries - everything was going to be all right. "Kim honey just told me, that you two are ready to get married."

Immediately, Jack was shocked and looked over at Kim angrily, who had guilt written all over her face. His smile vanished in an instant, and a thin line on his lips formed as she turned away from him, her gaze directed towards the bed sheets, lowered downwards. Shock sunk in that Kim agreed, and that added to his hurt - that his last thread of hope broke due to the same person whom he trusted to hold it with all her strength.

He felt dejected, stumped that she had betrayed him like this. She'd PROMISED. If there was one thing that Jack was committed to - that was a _promise_. It was an oath, meant to be kept. Under any circumstances. But Kim? She'd broken it like it was nothing.

He couldn't believe it. Anger and shock was written all over his face, while guilt consumed Kim's. She had changed her decision at the last moment and sacrificed her happiness for her parents'. The promise she'd made to Jack wasn't just a simple business deal. As the word spoke for itself, it was a _promise_ she made to him, the one which was broken, the root of the hatred.

She wasn't able to meet his eyes, the guilt was too much. Her eyelashes lowered, she could only imagine how much hatred was seething inside his eyes right now - she didn't dare look up.

But then she finally decided to woman up, and look up at him with an apologetic face.

Their eyes spoke everything as they looked at each other. Shattered. Heartbroken.

His eyes conveyed so much pain, anger, and the feeling of betrayal; her eyes showed how helpless she really was.

He felt hatred for her. But more so, anger, pain, and deceived. She on the other hand had been pressurized by the circumstances, and so felt guilt, helplessness, and heartbreak of knowing she would never have her fairytale happy ending. She knew getting married to Jack would be equal to going to hell where he would make life hell for her, but she was ready for it. As long as it meant that her family was happy. Her _father_ was happy.

Initially, he felt angered. But then, he just felt heartbroken. His life was ruined, destroyed, over as he knew it.

She stole glances at him as he looked away with pained eyes.

Yes they hated each other before, but it was more of a Tom and Jerry kind of hate, a lighthearted, fun neighbour rivalry kind of hate. But now? It had surpassed far beyond that. A new level of hatred, a new level of extremity where everything would change.

A new level of - _boundless_ hatred.

He looked at her again, questioning her with his eyes why she did this to him. She knew how much he didn't want to get married. And she? She avoided every single question, lowering her eyelashes towards the ground. But his gaze didn't waver, it was smoldering, directed only at her. And she was just as stubborn, a tear escaped through the brim of her lower eyelid as she looked ahead at a joyous Chuck and ecstatic Serena and Grey, anywhere but at him. She couldn't bare to see the hatred in his eyes for her.

She looked at him one last time as he tore his gaze away from her harshly, heartbroken by Chuck's words. She felt for him, she really did. She couldn't bare seeing him like this, albeit he irked her, he irritated her, but she knew him well enough to know that she couldn't even begin to fathom the anguish, pain, and agony he was going through. And she gazed at him in an apologetic manner - she was sorry, she really was. But she knew now that it was too late. The actions had been done, the words had been said. Nothing could change now.

And thus began a new journey - a journey that began with BOUNDLESS hatred.

* * *

"Before we begin, what would the groom's side like to give as the alimony token?"

It was a Gardenia law under the marriage sector. The alimony token was related to divorce, and divorce was considered a big sin, something taboo and horrific in Gardenia. So this law was made to protect a marriage and ensure that a couple would avoid divorce as much as possible. If such a situation arises in which the husband would want to give a divorce to his wife, the alimony token was any kind of token, be it money, materialistic items, or properties, that the groom would give to the bride in compensation. Just like alimony in a divorce. This alimony token would be written and stated legally in the marriage document papers.

Jack was the least bit interested, he didn't even know what that even meant. Right now, he was too broken, too pained by Kim's betrayal to even think straight as he stood at the altar.

Marcus on the other hand, was fully aware of the alimony token. "Father," he called out. He walked up to the Priest and took him to the side. They talked in whispers, and at that moment, no one knew what they had talked about. And no one really bothered to know either - because they simply presumed on the basis that Marcus and his family was from the modern metropolitan city of L.A., that Marcus, nor his family, was interested in the alimony token, and most likely would just consist of money or something along those lines.

The priest nodded as Marcus talked to him, and after a short-lived conversation, Marcus sat in his seat on the pew, and the Priest walked back to stand before Jack and Kim at the altar.

* * *

_"I do." She said as she faced him at the altar._

To save her father's life, she accepted the cruelest punishment sent her way.

"_I do." He said as he faced her at the altar. _

This wedding, that had happened against his wishes and happiness - he could never accept it, nor could it be a joyous occasion for him.

He looked at her with such intensity that she'd never seen in his eyes before as guests and family members began to rejoice at the successful union of their marriage, gently throwing rose petals at them in good tiding, congratulating each other, exchanging hugs with the latter. _You broke one promise, and now I break one. I promised you that I'll never be trouble for you again. But right now, right this moment - I break that promise. If after today, even one day passes where you don't regret saying yes to this marriage, then change my name.  
_

Gone was the old, flirtatious smiling Jack. That Jack had been bid adieu, and a new man was welcomed in his place - all throughout the ceremony, anger surged from him, whereas in Kim, only pain and grief surged.

* * *

The post-wedding Gardenia tradition was taking place, in which Jack and Kim were to sit together side by side, and look at their reflection in a mirror. It would symbolize their new bond together, walking side by side in their new life together as they would look at their reflection in the mirror together.

And whether this _boundless_ hatred would ever lead to _boundless_ love... that was left to be seen. To be unraveled.

No matter what, no matter how the equation between Jack and Kim would be, no matter what emotions they would emote for the latter - all of it was forever and always to be -

_Boundless_.

* * *

**Next time on the first official episode of Boundless - Season 2: **

The incessant noise of Jack's alarm clock on his bedside table awakes Kim as she slept on the opposite side of his bed beside him. Irritated, she got up, carefully hovering over his body to reach the alarm clock and shut it off. Pressing the snooze button, she retracts her body back towards her previous position.

However, she is stopped midway as Jack abruptly grabs onto her arm as she's retracting back, holding it tighter as if it's a teddy bear, snuggling with her arm, sound asleep. Kim is flustered at his action, not knowing what to do. Despite her attempts to pull her arm out, he wasn't budging anytime soon. Still sound asleep as he turns to his side, having a tighter grip on her arm, snuggling it tighter.

Is this the first step from BOUNDLESS hatred to BOUNDLESS love?

Keep reading to find out!

* * *

**And there ya go! Hope you guys liked it! Get ready to hop on a bumpy ride to Jack and Kim's BOUNDLESS journey! **


	2. Welcome to Brooke Villa - Part 1

**Hello everyone! Thanks for all the reviews, so glad to see the excitement for the story! Today is my birthday, and as my gift to you, here is a boundless update early! :D Hope you guys like the chapter - split into two parts. Will upload the next part in a couple of days :)**

* * *

_Your peace, or your passion_

_Your Happiness, or your grief_

_Whatever life I would live, I would live..._

_Whatever I would do, I would do..._

_Boundlesss..._

* * *

**Season 2 Episode 1/Chapter 11: Welcome to Brooke Villa - Part 1**

**A flight to L.A. later:**

Three cars drove down the L.A. streets, each having their own story, but each all headed towards one destination - Brooke Villa.

But the one that had the most interesting one... was the pearl white Mercedes vehicle decorated elegantly with flowers and streamers, a car that indeed looked like a newly wedded couple was seated inside. Two people joined into a new bond.

However, the story in the interior of the vehicle was something else. Jack and Kim sat in the back seat as it rode down the unfamiliar streets of L.A. Officially, they were so close, but in reality? Yet so far. They sat miles apart as if they were strangers - on opposite ends even though they were in the same vehicle, neither one uttered a single word. It was obvious that both had wished to say something to each other, but clearly could not get themselves to speak up. One was frustrated over his helplessness, and the other shattered over her broken dreams. From the time the driver had picked them up from the airport, they didn't even dare look at the other, for despair and pain would just bite them in the heart again, reminding them of the fact that they were forced upon each other.

She was guilty of breaking her promise and getting him into such a situation. She wanted to reach out to him, and tell him why she did what she did; but she knew he was angry, and in no mood to listen to any explanations. So she kept looking on at him as he mindlessly gazed away out his window, frustration and helplessness clearly visible on his face as his lips were formed into a thin line. Even the driver could sense the deep tension in the car, and thus pushed the button to turn on the radio, tuning in to a song that played on a station.

_What strange times are these_

_There's fear everywhere _

_Everything appears foggy. _

And then she turned away, gazing out her window in a similar fashion as his.

_In an instant, something was lost. _

As she looked out the tinted window, a sweet memory encased her mind, taking her back to her own past words - _Mom, when am I gonna get married? _A sixteen-year old Kim, dressed in her pleated school uniform, had asked.

_Flashback (KIM POV) _

_I randomly asked my mother, popping the question as I fidgeted with my fingers. I stood against the kitchen counter, wearing a schoolgirl plaited uniform, while my mother was kneading fresh dough for bread for supper. _

_Mom looked up from her dough as she heard me. "Kim, you're only 16. Where did you get such a random thought such as marriage from?" _

_I replied with a nervous voice, apprehensive about my mother's reaction. I knew I shouldn't have asked. "Mom, uh actually in school, all the girls keep talking about boyfriends and stuff." I could just imagine Mom's appalled face right now. My mother had clearly told my since I was born that I wasn't allowed to have a boyfriend, and I raised no question at the same - I'd been raised that way. Boyfriends were called boyfriends for a reason, and not husbands. Besides, I didn't believe in flings either - the person I would 'date' would be the guy I would want to spend my life with. But that didn't stop me from being a die-hard romantic, dreaming of that perfect Disney fairy tale. _

_"But I told them - I won't get a boyfriend. I'll just get married, to the boy that my parents would choose for me."_

_I nervously stood beside my Mom as she continued to knead through the dough. "But it's not wrong to think about - I mean, who the guy will be, what kind of guy he'd be. Now don't say he'll be some Prince Charming who'll take his princess away to his castle." _

_End Flashback_

As she found herself snapping back to the present, she glanced at him. In her wildest dreams, never had she imagined her Prince Charming to turn out to be a guy like Jack. How ironic were God's plans for her. He'd fulfilled her inner desires - she had married a guy who had taken her away to a far off land... but in a way, she never could fathom.

As she looked away yet again, she slowly turned to gaze out her own window, feeling her mind rewinding back to the past once more.

_Flashback (KIM POV) _

_"Oh, we won't get our princess married to just anyone." My mother assured me when I started to question her about the guy I would end up marrying. She'd get her married to the best guy in the world - someone deserving. She sat down on a wooden knit bench in the courtyard as she started to peel potatoes for supper. _

_"But I'm not interested. I don't want my husband to have riches or wealth." I replied as I fidgeted with the pen in my hand; repeating my actions again and again like a cycle, I took the cap off the pen, and then on. Off, on. Off, on. _

_"OH, but __I am__. I want him to be rich, very very rich!" She told me enthusiastically, and I looked at her, surprised by her words. _

_Her voice grew soft as Mom looked at me with tender eyes, "Not by wealth, but by the __heart__." A heart of gold. _

_Her words brought a smile to my face, and I blushed further when she continued, "Who would love my Kim __boundlessly__." _

_And that was when my dreams took flight - my desire, hopes, and aspirations of marrying such a man, who would love me __boundlessly, forever and always__. _

_"A guy who can give you all the happiness, which the whole world's riches and wealth couldn't provide." _

_END FLASHBACK_

She looked back out her window as trafficking cars swept by her, unaware of his gaze on her. Her inner turmoil clearly indicated that for the first time, she questioned her Lord. Whenever Kim asked God for something in regards to her marital life, she didn't acquire it. Not because God didn't listen, but because He knew what was best for her. She ended up being forced to marry not Brett who was poor both in character and financial status, but instead Jack, who was rich in both aspects. She didn't realize it yet, but she would soon come to know one day that Jack indeed had a heart of gold.

_Light of God _

_Light of God _

_Tell us where you're hiding _

_Light of God_

_Light of God_

_Please don't turn away from us_

And then he turned away, back to gazing out his own window. A serene, yet painful look encompassed their faces, and both individuals took interest in the dull scenery outside, occupied by traffic lights, black, asphalt lanes of road, and various vehicles of different models and colours.

_Light of God_

_Light of God_

_Where are you? _

She flinched when he vented his frustration out on the driver when the song continued to play on the radio. It hit too close to home, the lyrics were too accurate for comfort. Light of God this, Light of God that - he was tired of hearing those three words! If God existed, he definitely wouldn't have gotten _married._ And especially not to his _childhood enemy_.

He felt her gaze on him, and so looked in her direction. After briefly looking at her, he harshly turned away, looking back out his window. Just seeing her face again reminded him of her betrayal. He thought it best to just not acknowledge her presence. Why him? Why was _he_ the scapegoat in all this?

Then the car jerked suddenly as the driver slammed on the breaks due to the impending traffic ahead. In a rush of reflexes, her hand landed on top of his that was on the black leather middle seat. Instantly, their eyes travelled to their hands in contact with the other, and then up at each other. There was no hate yet, just surprise and dumbfounded. It was the first instance after their marriage where they, as a husband and wife, came into contact; their first gaze at each other after their marriage.

In fact, perhaps there was no hate to begin with, only frustration and distress at the circumstances. No matter how much they tried to be away from each other, something always pulled them back together.

The dissatisfaction, unhappiness, anger, and disgust that was written all over his face throughout the duration of their journey in the car had briefly disappeared. The sudden touch made his mind jump out of the past, thinking about the new phase destiny had pulled him into.

The surprise and realization that Jack was her husband, the man she would be spending her life with was written all over hers.

Awkwardly, they gazed on, not knowing how to react. It was obvious that both had wished to say something to each other, but clearly could not get themselves to speak up.

_Flashback (Both Kim-Jack POV) _

_Both of them looked at the reflection in the mirror as they sat beside each other. Tears rolled down her cheek as she saw herself and her __husband__ in the picture, and despair was clearly written on his. Frustrated with even the sight of her beside him in the reflection, his blood boiled and he couldn't take it any longer - he harshly set the mirror parallel to the bed sheets it stood on, creating cracks in the glass. The sound of shards of glass breaking into tiny pieces clearly entered her ears as she looked at him in shock. _

_END Flashback _

Both of them pulled their gaze away from each other yet again as their hands slowly and painfully moved away from each other. Fingers lingered briefly, their pinkies in trembling contact still until finally, their hands had went back to their own laps, resuming the cold, eerie, and awkward silence that existed between the two.

More silent moments passed by, and the sight of an ethereal Cathedral situated across a vast body of water crossed her gaze as she looked out the window. It stood out from all the other busy scenery outside. Just as anyone could expect if they knew her, Kim would not ignore it. Immediately, she beckoned the driver to stop the car.

Getting out, she ignored his smoldering gaze on her as she walked closer to the paved ledge and railing that separated the body of water from the land she stood on. How could she just stop the car in the middle of the road like that? Would she keep making all the calls, all the decisions in this marriage? Ridiculous. What was her problem?

He turned back away from her as he faced the front of the car while she folded her hands in prayer. _Whatever. She can do whatever she wants for all I care. It's not like I actually consider her my wife. _

She looked ahead as she stood under the blazing heat of the Sun, her eyes closed as she prayed, seeking divine blessings for her new life. She couldn't go all the way across the body of water to the Cathedral - but that didn't stop her devotion to The Lord.

"Ah, His beloved child has arrived!"

Surprised to hear a deep and ominous voice near her, she opened her eyes and looked to her right. An old man who seemed to look like a Priest from his getup sat on the ground near a tree, a cross adorned around his neck.

"Whatever The Lord does, he does for your good. Keep this faith with you in your heart," he pressed his hand to his heart, "until your last breath. Whatever happened was with God's will." The priest shouted in jubilee, raising his hands toward the sky, "And what will happen - will happen with _His_ will! If ahead you have to walk through fire, God's mercy and your loved ones' prayer will be with you." Jack was what God had decided for her all along - everything that had happened with her, happened for a reason. She just needed to _believe _it.

She turned her body towards the man as she listened on, her hands still folded in prayer. It was as if God himself was speaking to her, assuring her that He was always looking out for her - because He still did love her.

"TODAY! Today, albeit there is _boundless hatred! _But tomorrow - TOMORROW there will be _BOUNDLESS LOVE!" _It was an announcement to her - a declaration. This was God's want.

Whatever the Priest had said to Kim was true, and held great significance in Kim's heart and mind - she extracted from his words that she would definitely face major difficulties in this new phase of her life, but eventually the darkness will fade, and hatred will turn into love. Perhaps, she was going to _try_ to maintain her marriage, accepting it as God's wish and will.

Closing her eyes once again, she prayed. Asking her darling Lord to help her in this new journey, to be with her at every step of the way.

The priest's voice echoed repeatedly into her ears like a voice would echo into a vast canyon as she stared at the Priest.

Right at that moment her thought process was broken by a loud honk. Jack stood by the driver's seat outside the car, honking the horn arrogantly, causing her to whirl around and look at him. Whenever Kim would need help, her darling Lord would make sure Jack was there for her, unknowingly or knowingly. There _would_ be obstacles; but as long as she kept faith, all would be okay.

He broke Kim's prayer by his car horn... it wasn't despair or hate. All that could be seen on his face was pure irritation and annoyance when he did so. What, was she praying for world peace and poverty for all the kids in Africa or something? Gosh, she was so annoying with all her prayers and Lord this, Lord that. He just wanted to go home.

Deciding to ignore him, she turned back around to face the Priest, but he was nowhere to be seen. Only grass and dirt could be seen beside the tree that she thought the man was sitting by. It was like he was never there to begin with.

But she knew. It was a sign from God - He had answered her questions. The man was God's messenger, sent out to tell her to keep faith. Everything that was happening was because God wanted both of them together.

Now she was ready, ready to venture into her new life. No matter what hurdles she would cross and have to face, her Lord would be with her every step of the way.

* * *

All three vehicles encompassing the Anderson family inside finally arrived to Brooke Villa, and came to a stop outside the vast, elegant porch and front yard. Numerous butlers scurried to and fro as they rushed out the house into the yard, opening the car doors for their masters.

When Jack and Kim got down from the car, he didn't even bother to look at Kim as Marcus had an arm around her shoulder in a caring manner, making her stand beside him. He was still _so_ disgruntled with her for the betrayal.

Her eyes looked ahead at the exterior of the building in front of her.

The villa had a very Victorian-mansion like feel to it. The massive front pediment was flanked by clusters of columns. The words 'Brooke Villa' were engraved in gold calligraphy on a metal, yet elegant plate just above the extravagant front entry, the oak doors wide open.

Needless to say, it didn't feel like home at all. She missed her simple bike parked outside her simple middle-class home. She knew she didn't belong here. It felt like she'd entered a new world, where she felt lost. Would this place _ever_ feel like home? Like she belonged here? With _him_?

His eyes looked over to his father as he felt his arms around his shoulders. Marcus stood behind them, his arms draped around both of the children's shoulders. He rolled his eyes and turned away when his father told the both of them that albeit the circumstances in which this marriage happened were not exactly favourable, he was sure that one day they would find _boundless _happiness in each other.

He was then forced to look at his father again as he asked him for a promise -

"The meaning of marriage is to partake in each other's decisions and make your lives all the more beautiful. Promise you'll take care of Kim."

This caught him tensed and thinking as he wavered his gaze towards her, and she looked towards him as well. The child in Jack emerged once more, the very same child who was being made to do something he didn't like or didn't want to do. Like those stubborn kids whose thoughts are typically along the lines of, 'You didn't listen to me, now I won't listen to you' or 'If I burn, you burn with me'.

He had already made a promise to make Kim regret saying yes for the marriage, now it was time to make it hell.

The conviction in his voice when he replied was too hard to ignore - "I promise Dad." The determined look that he gave Kim after loads of thinking was hard to miss, "I'll always take care of Kim."

She could only gape away as he said with an intense gaze towards her that he would always take care of her. It wasn't surprising that he said that just to keep his father's word, but the mere words of promise still took her aback. She knew this wasn't a promise meant to be kept. The pained look on his face told her so. Or was it? She just didn't know.


	3. Back to Reality - Part 2

**Chapter 12/S2E2: Back to Reality**

As Marcus brought his favourite niece and darling son to ascend the marble steps of his home and enter through the doors, Kim was truly surprised as her eyes wandered all over the interior of the villa before her.

She was taken aback by the grandeur of the interior of the villa. As big and posh as it looked from the outside, it was even more so inside. She was awestruck to say the least. This place was so big, just like a palace. Really like a modern castle. It was so large that she felt lost as if she had just entered a maze.

Would she be able to ever find her place in this large building? Would it ever seem like home?

The voice of her favourite uncle broke the whirlwind of thoughts she was in, his words causing her to look ahead at an older lady. She seemed quite warm and friendly as Marcus introduced her as Elizabeth, the lady who's raised Jack ever since he was in his diapers. When Jack's mother would be out and about in her high society party socials and gatherings gossiping away and his father engrossed in business meetings and such, Elizabeth was the one who would look after him, make sure he gets what he desires. She loved him like a mother.

"Welcome home, bride." Other than Marcus, Elizabeth was probably the only other person truly happy with the arrival of Kim into Jack's life. She'd always dreamed of her Jack who she considered her baby, getting married to the best girl in the world, a girl who would give him utmost happiness. And just one look, a couple of words of exchange with the beautiful girl in front of her, told her that he couldn't have found a better girl for him. Guess Gardenia did turn out to be truly magical.

When Lizzy bear beckoned everyone to come in, Jack looked up at his father, upon hearing his voice. Marcus, whose hands were endearingly wrapped around his children's shoulders, faced his son with a teasing smile.

He reminded Jack about their family tradition of carrying the bride in his arms inside. "You've forgotten the family tradition, Jack? You have to carry the bride in your arms as you go inside."

A pin drop of silence ensued among everyone gathered just inside the front doors, stunned that in the midst of even these dire circumstances, Marcus would actually remember this particular family tradition. This was no ordinary marriage, no ordinary bond. The tension was clear miles away.

A conniving thought struck him when Jack was asked to carry Kim into the household. He was deep in thought as Madame Katherine, Natalie, and Shania had smug smiles, expecting for Jack to simply refuse. But in reality, no one knew what was going on in that head of his.

But when he looked at Kim's apprehensive face when his dad asked him to carry her, a calm, intent look crossed his face.

Marcus stepped aside to let his son do the honours, and Kim continued to apprehensively look at the floor.

Katherine's smile faltered as Jack slowly neared Kim, and her posse - Natalie and Shania - followed suit.

He moved closer to her, and Kim got more nervous as she felt his proximity behind her. She didn't need to look back at him to see his angry yet sullen gaze fixated on her from behind.

To her surprise, Katherine's smug expression was wiped off her face when Jack swept Kim off her feet. And it seemed that there was what appeared to be a... _smile _on his lips? A very cute and charming one at that.

But she wasn't the only one appalled by his actions. Taken aback, Kim was shocked and utterly confused as, before she knew it, she felt herself being swooped up into his arms bridal style, and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling. She looked at him, flabbergasted at his actions to see him smiling at her as he looked at her with those charming, twinkling eyes that now seemed like eons ago.

And yet there was one person who couldn't be happier, prouder of his son. A smile openly crept on his lips as Marcus saw Jack look at Kim in a loving manner as he lifted her into his arms. God bless his two children, may they be happy together always.

Everyone followed in Jack's footsteps as he walked forward with his bride in his arms inside the grand hall, smiling the whole time. Varying expressions were on all faces of the Anderson family.

Jack had the cutest smirk one could imagine, gazing into her eyes as if he couldn't be happier.

Kim was confused.

Marcus was happy.

Katherine was scowling.

Joshua was normal.

Natalie was lost.

And Shania? Well, she refused to be a part of Kim's welcome, leaving the latter to another part of the villa on pretext of getting a phone call. That no good for nothing Kim had ruined her plans to get her own sister married to Jack, just like she herself had ensnared and trapped Joshua to get married to her. Both sisters would have ruled over the wealth and riches of the Anderson name, if it wasn't for that meddling Kim. No way she would partake in any welcome of the woman who took her sister's place.

As he neared his bedroom, a smirk slowly came on his face as he looked ahead while Kim looked down apprehensively at her wedding dress, taking interest in the fabric rather than him. It wasn't an instant one. It was an overpowering, confident smirk that literally translated into victory. But what was the reason for this particular smirk? Why this sudden change in behaviour?

His footsteps slowly came to a stop, and the rest of the Anderson family followed suit as they all arrived to Jack's room upstairs.

"Alright. Everyone must be tired by now." Marcus's voice causes everyone to turn their heads toward him. "It was a long journey. Good night," he said in that ominous, king-like voice of his.

"Good night." Jack replied in a normal and jovial manner.

"Good night," his now other half added on her behalf. Her voice was soft-spoken and polite, yet still depicted hesitation and nervousness. Emotions of the fear of what would happen now once Jack takes her inside his room. She was already confused and perplexed as it was.

As everyone started to head to their rooms, Jack walked inside the room through the open doors, his face lit up with a smile as he looked at Kim.

Still not wavering his soft, romantic gaze from her eyes, he kicked the door closed with the back of his right foot as he and Kim entered his abode, his bride still in his arms. After closing the other door with his left foot, he walked in to the centre of his room, and she followed his eyes as she scanned her surroundings. The ambience was full of romance; there were candles lit all around the room, and rose petals and other such decorations on the bed covered with milky, white silk bed sheets.

"This is my room." He announced. "I mean, _our room." _

His words echoed into her ears as she heard him say that this was _their_ room. Uncomfortable and too confused with his smirks, she chose to avoid his gaze and instead look down.

She felt her heart in her mouth when Jack gently set her down onto his bed, still looking into her eyes. His gaze was intense, unwavering, and hot. His smirk and her movement on the bed as she slightly inched away were a deadly combination.

Beads of sweat started to perforate on her forehead in the cool month of January as he sat himself down beside her, inching himself closer to her. While she was in nervous shivers, he kept getting closer to her.

What on earth was going on? Was he really taking this marriage seriously? Our marriage... It wasn't really a marriage, was it? Neither of them had accepted it, nor each other as husband and wife for that matter. Then why was he doing all of this?

He leaned toward her, and she moved back. He didn't stop, and instead filled the space that she had created between them, her gaze constantly toward the bed sheets, anywhere but at him. Her anxiety and fear knew no bounds, as she had no idea what was going to happen.

Her eyes landed on a black iPhone in front of her, and she felt relaxed as Jack gave her his phone to call Gardenia.

She met his eyes as he spoke with a low yet soft voice "why don't you call home and tell them you've arrived safely and are fine."

She felt relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. He was being all nice and allowing her to call Serena. Taking the phone in her hands gratefully, she thanked him and got off the bed to talk to her parents. She walked to another corner of the room, standing near his study table, her back to him. He raised no question at the same, happily giving her her space to talk to her beloved family.

All the while Kim talked to her ecstatic family on the phone, Jack watched her with a large smirk across his face. It appeared to be a happy smile for Kim, but what was going on in Jack's mind?

Impatient and ecstatic to talk to her sister, she'd had enough of her father hogging the phone all to himself. She wanted to talk too! Grey had to literally snatch the phone from Chuck, putting the phone excitedly to her ear.

After initial words of exchange of the journey, flight, and whatnot, Grey asked her sister how Jack was, whether he was happy or not. She was the only one who knew the reality behind their marriage - Kim had told her how she betrayed him, broke her promise to him for their dad.

She smiled weakly at her parents who were sitting beside her, but apprehension and worry for her sister was clear in her voice. "And Jack? How is he?"

Kim looked back at Jack as he lay casually on his bed, leaning on his elbow. She smiled and turned back to face the cream-coloured wall in front of her, standing by his study table away from the bed.

"Maybe I was overthinking it. Jack seems very happy," she replied to her sister with a happy smile. Was this really happening, or was she imagining it? Kim began to think that Jack had no problems with their marriage - but little did she know that this was all a part of Jack Anderson's game plan.

The happiness in her voice sent relief to Grey's heart, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God everything is okay," she said, smiling at her parents sitting beside her.

"The Lord made everything okay." Perhaps she was worrying over nothing.

"Okay tell me! How is Mark's house? It must be so big!" She beamed like a little kid, no longer tensed about her sister' happy married life.

"_Very _big," she replied as if she _was_ indeed talking to a child with enthusiasm in her voice. "Just like a palace!"

Chuck and Serena rolled their eyes at their childish daughter's questions, and an intrigued smile also remained on Jack's voice as he listened on.

* * *

Elsewhere, Katherine was deep in thought about Jack's actions and behaviour with Kim. She thought Jack hated Kim, making Kim leave him. But seeing the way he so easily promised with conviction that he would take care of her,and then him swooping her up into his arms left her in a daze. Her son who she thought she had control over, who always would obey her every command, had betrayed him. It was time to take matters into her own hands: she would see to it that she makes her life a living hell; so much so that as lovingly as her _darling Marcus Uncle _had brought her here, she would be thrown out of here with an equal amount of hatred and disgust by him. By hook or by crook.

* * *

When she turned back around after bidding goodbyes to her family, she was surprised to see a familiar hand lingering in the air in front of her, and then looked up to see him standing in front of her.

"I need your permission," he explained her silent questions with a tender yet low, husky voice. "To show you our room."

She was still somewhat hesitant as she placed her hand in his, and he immediately put an arm around her, making them face the wardrobe a bit aways from the bed. Jack was generous, sharing his room and belongings inside it.

"This wardrobe - the right side's yours, and of course, the left side's mine."

As Jack then turned them around to face the dressing mirror, she found herself staring at a reflection of herself with Jack beside her, a smile on his face and arm around her shoulder.

"This dressing mirror and table - this one's yours, and the other one on the left side of the bed's mine."

"This study table -" he said as he turned her around to look at the study table in front of her. It was far better than the study table she had in Gardenia. And of course, the way she was admiring it as she spoke with her family over the phone didn't go unnoticed by him. "It looks beautiful, but I have no use for it. From now own, it's all yours."

This all felt so surreal, just like a dream. She looked at him, unable to believe his sudden change in behaviour. He had decided to show her his room, or as he referred to it - _their _room. At every mention of any object or space in the room, every time he would constantly repeat that she would always be on the right, and himself in the left.

"Come." Lovingly taking a hold of her hand in his, he brought her to an open window. As she looked out below, she was taken aback as she saw an inground swimming pool, the pool and decorations lit up with fluorescent lights. This was so beautiful.

"The view from here in the evenings is just breathtaking."

Hearing his voice, she glanced sideways at him as he followed her previous gaze and looked out the window with his arm still wrapped around her shoulder in a husbandly manner. "Sunset, swimming pool... This is where we'll sit down and have coffee together in the evenings. Oh, but I _am_ very clear about my habits. That's why," he sat her down onto the sofa across from the bed against the other wall, "you'll sit on the right, and I on the left," and then sat beside her.

She looked up at him as he took her hand in his, and then lovingly placed his other hand on top of it.

"Kim, Dad is right. Let bygones be bygones - whatever I did, whatever I said to you - for that I'm _sorry." _

She looked into his eyes with surprise and wide eyes as he apologized. He was being so earnest about this, he deserved to know her side of the story as well. She owed him that much.

"Jack, I wanted to tell you why I said yes for this marriage, I - "

He interrupted by lightly squeezing her hand in his, "the past is in the past. What's important is the future - _our _future."

"I - I thought you would hate me after our marriage." She questioned him, nervousness in her voice.

"I made a promise to Dad." His words made Kim feel at ease, happy that he was being so mature. In fact, he was being just like the Prince Charming she'd always imagined she'd marry one day. "That we'll love each other, keep each other happy."

And she couldn't be happier. "We can have a new beginning, can't we?" He suggested lovingly.

Her face lit up with a smile, happy beyond measure. Maybe her dreams weren't broken. In fact, maybe they'd just begun - dreams of a happy married life. Maybe it wasn't too late to finally have her happy ever after after all.

"Mhmm." She nodded with a wide grin, her eyes glistening with well, for lack of a better word, happiness.

Her heart leapt as he spoke to her, "I know this wasn't a fairy tale wedding, but we can live happily ever after, can't we?" He said with an endearing tone, in a loving manner.

Never had so much happiness sparkled in her eyes as much as it had today, all because of his magical words. With his changed behaviour and outlook towards their marriage, her feelings had changed as well. Getting married to Jack was the best thing to happen to her. To a person she knew would love her boundlessly... Just like she'd always imagined.

She nodded her head excitedly a little, agreeing to his proposal.

"You're happy, right Kim? You don't feel you've made a mistake by marrying me?"

Kim nodded and smiled positively that she did not regret marrying him, and this was exactly what Jack had been looking for - Jack promised himself at his wedding that he would make sure Kim regrets marrying him so he needed that confirmation from her whether she does or not, and her not helped him to be able to feel the feeling of joy in making her regret it later on.

She felt like she was on cloud 9. She couldn't be happier; no, she didn't regret her decision. Whatever happened with Brett, happened for a reason. Maybe things went the way they did so that Jack could come into her life. And she would get that fairy tale love story she'd always only ever dreamed of. It was true - whatever God does, he does for the best.

He made her feel comfortable, feel happy, and wanted to the extent of saying to her that they should have a new beginning together, forgetting their past and thinking about their future with each other.

"Come on then, let's celebrate." On that note, he took both of her hands in his, and made her stand up from the couch, bringing her around to the centre of the room.

When she stood in front of him, he extended his arms so that she was at arms length from him, and then swiftly pulled her into his arms, and she wrapped her right arm around his neck as he clasped his right hand into her left.

A charming smile was across his lips as she gazed into his eyes, and he slowly circled them around starting to dance.

Seeing him so happy, and back to his charming,flamboyant self made _her _happy. Neither of the latter tore their blissful gaze away from each other as they continued to dance. She literally felt like she was in a dream as he extended his arms once again, and then twirled her back into her arms, her front flushed to his chest, and her right arm slowly wrapping around his neck as the wedding veil on her head soared over them.

As he continued to look deep into her eyes with that oh so charming smile, her lips curved upwards as well, feeling like she was in some kind of dreamland. So beautiful, so magical, where only the two of them existed. Smiles were present all around as he took her in for a dip, clasping his right hand into her left; and she made a tighter hold around his neck as he lowered her, parallel to the ground beneath them. Although truth be told, she couldn't even feel the ground beneath her, given the 7th heaven of euphoria she was in.

Just like she'd hoped, they'd come to love and respect one another. Just like Jack, she'd also give everything to this marriage to keep his and her own happiness.

As she was lost in her own thoughts, she felt herself being pulled back up to face him, enjoying the warm feel of his touch, his arm tightly wrapped around her waist. Comfortable, blissful moments of silence passed as they gazed on into each other's eyes.

Alas, it took no longer than a mere moment for those blissful moments of silence turn into shocking ones. This fairy tale dream to turn into a villainous nightmare.

After twirling her around three times by her fingers, he suddenly let go of her and threw her onto the bed harshly.

She was left dumbfounded and gaped away with shock at the boy in front of her, his standing figure cowering over her. A wide grin was on his face, but not like the one he had before. His smile before was smug, yet right now, it reflected pleasure. Pleasure of having deceived Kim. This one was devilish and almost... Evil-like.

He was deadly sweet all this while, and when the facade wore off, he was scary. Everything truly looked like a dream until he pushed her to the cot, revealing an evil Jack. It couldn't be said that he was evil however; he looked quite human and normal like a man angry for getting tricked.

The corners of his lips lowered, and his smile slowly turned into an angry frown. And the fury unleashed. Anger encompassed his face and he placed his foot on the edge of the bed, leaning down, cowering over her petite half-lain figure as she raised her head off the bed to look at him.

If looks could kill, she'd be dead by now by the way he glared into her soul. She'd never seen him so angry before in her life. The Jack she knew was flamboyant, charming, charismatic - with always a smile on his face.

"Wake up. Dream over. Back to reality." The way he looked at her was just scary beyond measure. "The truth is, nothing in this room is yours. _Nothing." _

"What, you thought Jack is happy? Jack forgave you? No! I can NEVER forgive you for what you did to me."

Bile started to rile up in her throat. If only he'd just hear her out! She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, he continued to speak.

"And every moment, every _second_ of your life, I'll remind you of what you did."

"And that's a promise to _myself."_

She could only gape away at him as he glared profusely at her, flabbergasted at the extent of his hatred. She should have known better. His outburst was justified, and she understood where he was coming from. Respected his feelings - the hurt, the anguish of a broken promise and forced marriage.

He pivoted on his heel and leaned closer still, hovering over the bed and dangerously close to her face. She gripped the bed sheets tighter, fearful of the spite clearly evident in his eyes as he inched closer and closer to her. Like a tiger approaching his prey before the kill.

"Welcome to hell... _MARK'S LITTLE NIECE." _He spat out, utter hatred and disgust seething out his voice.

One wouldn't call him arrogant. He was furious. And he needed to get that spite out of his system.

The deep guilt made her feel like her heart was in her mouth. She knew he would hate her, but hate her to the extent that he would set up a game plan and rile her like this? She didn't know his hatred had gone that far. Was it too late to explain her actions and betrayal?

"What's wrong?" He raised his body back up to stand back up on his feet on the ground. "Shocked? Are you? I was _ten times _more shocked when you agreed to this wedding."

His main complaint was that she had said yes on his behalf. He had been deceived, and this was his hurt, in the form of anger.

There was no longer a calm, winning tone in his voice. His voice instead modulated to one of rage and hurt, a boy mad at the circumstances and situation he was forced into. "Why did you do this? Despite knowing that we can't live with each other? Why did you have to do this?"

But before she could finally justify her actions and explain herself to him, that calm tone was in his voice again, and he answered for her -

"Oh wait. You thought that you couldn't find a better man than Jack Anderson. Right? And that's why you used your dad's illness as an excuse and entrapped me." But hurt and anger was still there in his voice as he started to clap his hands together in unison, "what a game plan, what a game plan!"

"Stop it Jack!" It was a voice of reason, a plea hidden, and truth shining.

Kim immediately stood up from the bed and found her feet on the ground, facing him, enraged. She might be soft-spoken, but she was no pushover! She was strong-minded and was a symbol of women empowerment. She fought Jack's spite which was well-placed, but spilling. He had crossed that line of respect at the mention of her father; she couldn't take it anymore.

"Enough. What, you felt I _wanted_ this marriage? When in fact I know that you and me hate each other so much that we could _never_ love each other. Who would want such a marriage!"

He squinted his eyes at her, and then blinked them back. Then why did she? Why did she say yes? Why did she break her _promise_?

She looked down at the ground, avoiding his scrutinizing gaze. "I know I deceived you. By breaking the promise I made to you. But I had no other choice. Seeing dad's critical condition, I just couldn't see another way out!"

His eyes became slightly moist with empathy as she told him, "the only thing I could see in his eyes was a single ray of hope, which he had from this _marriage._"

She looked at him with such ferociousness that perhaps he'd never seen from a woman before. "I know this is hell. But if it comes to my dad, I'm _willing_ to live in this hell." But then again, he'd never met such a strong-minded girl like her in his life either. He had thought that after hearing his words Kim would start crying with a broken heart. But that was not Kimberly Anne Crawford, not at all. What she did was purely done for her father, he was the most important man in her life. "Or else, I would _never_ marry a boy like you!"

After getting over the initial insult of his words, he questioned her again, "so you could've refused to marry me! You could've said that I'm not a good guy."

"You could've said no!" And with that, she had turned the tables on him. "You could've told Dad that I'm lying! What was _your _helplessness?"

A counter question, and he was thrown off. Why didn't _he _refuse?

Kim said yes to marrying Jack because of her father's health but why did Jack say yes? Why didn't _he_ raise a voice against this marriage? What was _his _helplessness? There was no pressure riding on him, he could have just as easily declined, saying that she was lying or something.

Perhaps he said yes because of his own father, but really. Was that a good enough reason for Jack saying 'I do'? Marcus did not force Jack into this marriage, just like he didn't force him to go to Gardenia.

After Jack had declined to go to Gardenia, his father hadn't forced him. He requested his son to just go live a little in Gardenia on his behalf. And whether he decides to go to Gardenia or not, it was fine by him. He would unblock his cards either way the next morning.

It _was_ his decision, but it was also a request - Marcus could do anything for Jack's happiness. His father might be angry with him, but he would never want Jack to do something which he doesn't feel happy with - if Jack had said no, Marcus would have been upset, but eventually he would've gotten over it. Jack had the chance of saying 'I do not' at the wedding. After all, it was a matter of his entire life, but he didn't say no. So he had only himself to blame for getting married.

The stubborn child in him still failed to admit his fault. He now knew she married for her dad, but what was _his _fault in all this? Why was _he_ being made the scapegoat in this whole situation?

Naturally, he burst. "Wow. So you think I was _dying_ to marry you, and that's why I said yes to this marriage?" He scoffed, "I don't believe this. Why am I even talking to you?!"

"I don't trust the words of a girl like _you." _

She was hurt. Deeply, immensely, hurt by his remark. Even after explaining to him why she did what she did, he didn't care. He didn't _trust_ her.

"I just want to warn you - I'll make your life so miserable in this house that you yourself will leave on your own."

Taken aback by the extent of his hatred for her and this marriage, she blinked her eyes back, soaking back the tears under her eyelids.

He made a step forward to walk away from her as she gaped away at him, astonished. He stopped his footsteps suddenly, and looked at her, "and until then you have no right on _anything_ in this room."

All that was left was what seemed like a broken Kim and deadly silence in the room as he stormed off in anger. He left her standing in the middle of the room, shutting the door behind him as he walked through the bathroom door.

* * *

Changed into pyjamas and a t-shirt, Jack walked out the bathroom, and to the bed. His eyes wandered all around the room sneakily, checking for a certain someone. Not seeing her anywhere in the room, he shrugged and jumped onto his bed. _Good. Serves her right. _He scoffed in his mind as he started to push away the rose petals on his bed, creating clean space where he could sleep. _She's probably crying in a corner of the room, crybaby. _

Satisfied, he jumped and kicked back, lying down on the bed to sleep. After turning off the lights of his lamp on the right side of his bed, he adjusted his head onto the pillow against the dashboard. Closing his eyes, he started to drift off to sleep.

However, before he could, his slumber was disrupted by the lights clicking back on only a second thereafter.

His eyes squinting by the sudden appearance of light, he groaned as he got up and raised his upper body to find the source of who had turned the lights on. He looked to his side, and saw Kim standing by the lamp on the other side of the bed. His eyes were fixed on her, surprised by her actions, and her presence. What'd she turn the lights on for? And why did she have that o-so-familiar spunk in her body language, hand on her hip.. Just like when she had totally played him at the restaurant in Gardenia, and then made a fool out of him.

"What the hell!"

"What the hell?" She repeated, questioning in mimicry. A slight smirk played on her lips as she spoke.

As Kim Crawford came back with a bang and put him in his place, Jack could only gape away as she spoke. "What, you thought that I'd be scared of your threats?" _You heard me._ Not only did she tell Jack she wasn't afraid of him, but also showed him, literally. She copied each and every gesture of his, making Jack's expressions quite priceless to watch.

He watched, flabbergasted, as she put a foot on the edge of the bed, leaning over the bed to glare at him confidently. "And don't forget that my Mark brought me here. And _you _were the one who said 'I do' at the wedding." Not a single drop of tear, and she left his mouth open. He thought she got scared of him, but clearly _that wasn't the case__**.**_

He blinked his eyes back at her behaviour as she shrugged her shoulders at him. _So? What does me saying 'I do' have to do with this? What is she getting at? _But her words answered his questions for him. "That's why everything in this room belongs to me as much as it does to you."

"Oh, and what did you say? I won't get a guy like Jack Anderson? The truth is, " pointing her index finger profusely at him, "that _you_ won't get a girl like Kim Crawford!"

Baffled, he looked at her, not knowing what to say. He didn't expect this from her - even when they were married, she still up'd him. He'd never met a stronger woman in his life.

Her arm rested on her knee, she told him with spunk, "now I'll do as I please, and live like I want."

She abruptly slammed her hands down on the bedsheets, "stop me if you can." Kim glared at him like no tomorrow. Fear was nowhere to be seen in her eyes.

Yet again, one look at Jack's face would convey as if his pants had fallen down. After all, Kim always would up him before they were married, and this marriage did not change that one bit. Tom would not back down without a fight... Jerry.

Normally, one would expect for a newlywed bride to be totally broken and shattered after being rejected on her own wedding night by her husband who she was married to spend the rest of her life with - but, that wasn't Kim Crawford! She was not weak - if she would have fallen weak, then Jack would've felt that he had won, and Kim could not allow for Jack to feel that way. It was going to take a lot of willpower for Jack to break Kim, and as long as Marcus was by her side, nothing could harm her.

Frozen in place, he could do nothing but gape away at her in a flabbergasted manner as she threw the wedding veil on her head away, gathered some pillows by the dashboard, and then set them in the foot of the bed. He. He couldn't believe this - she lay down, her head plopping down on the pillows that she had put on the opposite side of the bed.

He glared at her with an 'are you serious - no way you're sharing my bed' look, his mouth hung wide open, but she rolled her eyes and looked away from him with attitude.

* * *

Sweet silence was all around the room, both husband and wife deep in slumber. On the same bed, they slept at opposite sides of the bed; her feet on the same side of his head, and his feet on the same side of her head. While one rested his head on the pillows against the dashboard, the other rested theirs on the pillows set at the foot of the bed.

Feeling a touch of feet lightly kicking against his cheek, he stirred in his sleep. Annoyed, he abruptly got up and sat, looking at her in an incredulous manner. _I don't believe this. I've heard of sleepwalking, arms and legs moving around in sleep, but face-kicking? Gosh, this girl is something else! _

"What a rude girl! She doesn't even have decent sleeping manners!"

She remained unaffected by his cursing words, her eyes closed in deep slumber.

In a futile attempt to nudge her, he leaned over to her side of the bed, playing and rigorously fidgeting around with the pillows her head was resting on.

She shrugged his hands off in return, deep in unconscious sleep. "Let me sleep, Grey." She said with a groggy, yet irritated voice. "Why are you jumping around?"

_Ya gotta be kidding me. This isn't your gardenia home, bloody hell! _

_Ugh, whatever._

He lowered his eyebrows, lying back down to sleep. He turned on his side, his back facing her. An annoyed expression crossed his face, and then he slowly closed his eyes, drifting off into peaceful slumber.

_Fine. Two can play at that game._

It was Kim's turn to shoot up from her lain position as Jack mimicked her actions for payback, kicking her shoulder with his feet, turning to lie fully on his back, his face clear vision to her.

One angry look at a sleeping Jack beside her, and she was brought back to the present, to reality - reality of being married to _Jack Anderson. _His cruel words from earlier that night drilled into her brain:

_Flashback (KIM POV) _

_It was a facade. A deadly sweet one. As Jack smiled and twirled me, alluring me into hell. Just like hell itself. Appearing full of pleasure yet within raging of fire. _

_As the gates opened, and he pushed me in. His smile so scary. _

_"Welcome to hell... Mark's little niece." _

_-0-0-0-_

_Jack was in his world of spite, and I in my world of pain. _

_"The truth is, that __nothing__ in this room is yours." _

_-0-0-0-_

_"What, you thought Jack's changed? Jack's forgiven you? I can NEVER forgive you for what you did to me." _

_-0-0-0-_

_"Every moment, every second, I'll make you regret what you did." _

_"And that's a promise. To __myself.__" _

_END FLASHBACK _

She glared at him, a determined look on her face as she looked at his sleeping form. _If this is hell, then I'm ready for it. _

Kim was ready to take on hell, but how long would she remain standing?

* * *

After every dusk, there is dawn. The first rays of early morning sunshine bleakly seeped through the windows of the room, in which inside was a husband and wife, deep in slumber. But they were no normal husband and wife - they slept like babies on the bed, but with their heads in opposite directions.

It was the first morning. Jack's first morning as a married man, and Kim's first one as Mrs. Kim Jack Anderson. What was in store for the first official day of their married life in Brooke Villa?

* * *

Elsewhere in Brooke Villa, Joshua Anderson sat on a yoga mat by the pool. He pinched his right nostril to let out air from the other one, breathing in, and then out. He then repeated his actions with the other nostril, letting out air from the left one.

In, out.

In, out.

Marcus Anderson observed his son as he sat on a wooden patio chair nearby the patio furniture by the pool.

"Now what are you up to _this morning, _Joshua?" He raised his eyebrows with a questionable look on his face.

"Power yoga, Dad!" He replied, facing him with a cheeky smile. He straightened his back and kept his hands on his knees as he sat cross-legged on the yoga mat, "Breathe in, breathe out. In, out." He demonstrated as he spoke, his diaphragm contracting and expanding.

"You don't need power yoga for that." He chided, with a slight tease, picking up a glass of orange juice from the patio table in front of him.

His smile faded, turning his face sideways to glance at his father, who had an amused smile on his face. He knew what Dad was hinting at; his life just hadn't been the same with his two wives. He'd always be out of breath, running around to and fro to please them. And if you'd please one, then the other'd get upset. Juggling between the two ladies of his life.

"Why don't you go do some swimming, or jogging?" His father's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"No thanks, Dad," he told him candidly. "Keep such vigorous exercises to yourself and Jack, I'm fine here." The cheeky, comic smile reappeared on his face as he met his father's gaze.

Marcus let out a deep chuckle at that. _Oh, Joshua. Always finding the easy way out. _

_"_By the way, I'm sure Jack is still snoring away."

Marcus laughed more merrily at his son's words after he sipped on his orange juice.

"He might set an alarm for 6 A.M., but it's another thing that the Prince never really wakes up."

* * *

She woke up for the umpteenth time that morning, her head jolting with a start yet again due to the incessant, annoying ringing of the alarm clock situated on the nightstand on his side of the bed.

_Not again. _She'd ignored that pestering ringing the past times it sounded, going back to sleep. But as she opened her eyes, she knew she had to do something about it. It was starting to give her a headache. She sat up slightly, propping herself on her elbows which dug into the sheets. Her eyes scanned all around the room, looking for the source of the sound, and it was then that her eyes landed on a red classic alarm clock, Mickey Mouse on the face of it.

Then her eyes wandered over to the innocent smile on Jack's face, sleeping like a baby. Gosh, this kid could sleep through a tornado!

She sat straight up on the bed, angrily gritting her teeth. "Setting an alarm, he's sleeping like a horse." She seethed out the words from her teeth. Oh, how she'd just love to strangle him by his neck right now.

She leaned, hovering over his body so as not to wake him. Her left hand tiptoed in the space between his arms and stomach, her other hand outstretched, reaching for the alarm clock on his nightstand. She looked back at his face constantly as she extended her arm for the clock, making sure to be quiet so he doesn't wake up.

Her hand lingered in the air, her fingertips almost in contact with the red plastic bells on top of the clock. _C'mon, just a little more. Just a little - got it! _

The ringing came to an abrupt stop as her fingers finally landed on top of the bells, shutting of the contraption.

She started to lean backwards, moving to go back to her side of the bed. She was almost back to her previous position before she had been awakened due to the alarm, when all of a sudden, Jack caught a hold of her arm, embracing it into a hug. He held it tighter as if it was a teddy bear, snuggling with her arm, still sound asleep.

_You gotta be kidding me. _

Kim was immediately flustered by his action, perplexed at what she should do. Her arm wasn't a freaking teddy bear! Despite her attempts to pull her arm out. He wasn't budging anytime soon. She continuously tugged on her arm, trying to wring it free of his lock, but to no avail. _Let go, buster! _

She groaned in annoyance. Was she just gonna sit here with her arm embraced in him until he woke up?

Suddenly, a second sound of ringing erupted that morning. She looked over to the pillows at the foot of the bed, and noticed the screen on her cellphone lighting up by the pillows. _Mom? Mom's calling. _

_Now what do I do?! _

Extending her leg toward the pillows, she used her right foot to slowly bring the phone to her body. _There. _Then she picked the phone up with the hand of the arm that _wasn't _being snuggled with his body, and put the phone to her ear.

"Hey, mom." She said awkwardly, her one arm still being hugged by Jack.

"Kim! Hope you weren't sleeping."

"No mom, it's cool. I'm awake."

"You just woke up, didn't you." A bit of a scolding tone was in her voice. "It's almost past 8:30 Kim! It's your first day in your new home, go get ready and greet everyone, it doesn't look nice!"

"Yes, mom." She replied in an obedient quiet voice.

"And, where's Jack? I want to talk to him."

Kim's eyes wandered to a sleeping Jack who was currently embracing his arm like no tomorrow, clearly he had no plans of letting go, or waking up, anytime soon.

"Jack?" She stammered and stuttered, trying to think of a good excuse. Gosh, she was horrible at lying. "Uh-uh-uhm, he uh, he's not in the room..."

Serena had a puzzled look on her face listening to her daughter's words. Not in the room?

"I'll uh, I'll get him to talk to you later."

She was flustered as Jack snatched the phone away from her ear before she could hang up, pushing away her arm to leisurely lay on his bed. "Hey, Rini!"

_Ugh, jerk. _Kim sent him deathly daggers through her eyes as she rubbed her arm up and down, which was previously snuggled with, in an effort to soothe it. He'd been embracing onto it for so long, that it became sore and stiff.

"Rini, I haven't gone anywhere,I'm right here." He clarified to her as he looked at Kim, who jumped away from him, sitting on the bed. He then looked away from her, "your daughter just doesn't want me to talk to you."

She leaned closer and glared at the back of his head. _Oh yeah I bet mr. Sleepyhead! _

He turned his gaze back towards her, meeting her dagger eyes. Neither backed down, but the voice of Serena on the other line broke the tension. "Jack sweetie, is everything okay? I mean, between the two of you..." She trailed off.

Jack mischievously eyed her as she got off the bed with a couple groans and moans. "Perfect, Rini!" He observed her with a boyish smirk as she stretched her arms in the air, yawning, but not without looking back at him as well. "Leave your tension of your daughter to me."

_"_Mark's little niece sure is spoiled, but I'll set her straight." A light chuckle was in his voice, and a mischievous glint was in his eyes as, all the while, he looked at an annoyed Kim standing by the bed with a boyish smile.

For the next few minutes, sweet peace was in the room as Jack continued to talk to Serena, and Kim wandered all over the room. She looked all around, but her suitcase was nowhere to be seen.

She impatiently tapped his shoulder as he continued to ignore her questions about her suitcase. Irritated, he finally turned around while he was still on the line with Serena.

She whispered again, making hand gestures to resemble a suitcase, as if she was playing a game of charades with him so he could know what she wanted.

He gestured to her with the point of a finger that it was in the bathroom.

A flabbergasted expression crossed her face as she repeated his gesture, angrily pointing her index finger in the direction of the bathroom door. Of course, this didn't go without sending him deathly glares for the umpteenth time that morning. _You put my suitcase in the freaking BATHROOM?! _

And yet again, Jack remained unaffected, shrugging his shoulders in response. _Yeah so. _

Flustered at why on earth he would put her suitcase in the bathroom, she nevertheless angrily strode in.

* * *

**Why do you think Jack put Kim's suitcase in the bathroom? Any guesses on what's gonna happen next? What new trick is up his sleeve?  
**

**Also, I mentioned in this chapter while Jack showed Kim around his room, he constantly repeated that Kim would be on the RIGHT, and he on the LEFT. Why do you think this is so? What importance or symbolism does this show? Leave a guess in the review, and the person with the closest answer will be pm'd the next update! (already got it done ;)) **

**Thanks for all the reviews, feedback, and love! So grateful, keep loving the story! :)**

* * *

**Next time on BOUNDLESS:  
**

**Everyone is sitting at the dining table for breakfast. Shania sat across Kim, who was wearing a purple dress. As she nonchalantly sipped on her juice, she choked on the liquid down her throat, as the liquid went down the wrong tube, her trachea, instead of her food pipe. The reason? She had noticed that Kim was wearing Jack's shirt under her lace dress!  
**

**Immediately, she got up out of her seat and made her way toward Katherine who was sitting at the other end of the table by her husband Marcus. On the pretext of getting some more juice from the pitcher, she leaned and whispered into Katherine's ear, "Mom, Kim's wearing Jack's shirt." **

**Katherine's eyeballs shot out of her sockets as she noticed the same, appalled. It became even more necessary for her to throw Kim out of here before the girl completely controlled his son, and she would be able to do nothing after that.  
**


	4. The First Morn'

**Hello everyone! My name is ****Pree, and I'll be taking over this story, and Kiyaa's fanfiction account in general. Kiya has worked day and night to write as many chapters as she could before she had to leave – she wrote up all the chapters of season 2 – so this chapter is purely her work. **

**That being said, she worked her butt off 24/7 and hardly even got any sleep just to please you guys, I know she's way too modest and nice for her own good and won't ask for reviews or feedback or anything, but it would really mean a lot to her if you could just take 2 seconds out of your precious time to just leave a review, a comment, feedback anything if you've had a read! If anything, please do it as a farewell gift to her? She really has worked so so hard to give you guys these amazing chapters; she deserves a little love in return, don't you think? **

**Let's try to get to at least 80 reviews? I think we can manage that. I mean, I look at the story stats and there are thousands and thousands of visitors and views, but only minimal reviews? It might not be a big thing to her because she loves you all so much, but it's disheartening to me – a little feedback is all I'm asking! A little gesture that lets her know that all her hard work has not gone in vain, and is appreciated! **

**Anyway, I apologize for the rant and long message. Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to leave your feedback in a review, good or bad!**

* * *

S2/E2/Chapter 13: The First Morning

In a haste, she made her way through the bathroom doors, and what she saw before her caused her eyes to become shocked to the core. Her suitcase lay on the ceramic tile ground, right under the shower head, from which droplets of water continually cascaded down onto the leather of the suitcase.

"Dear Lord!" She exclaimed, her eyes drifting between the shower head and on her damp suitcase.

Immediately, she knelt onto the ground by her suitcase, moving her hands on top of the leather material to prevent more water from falling onto it. She took no longer than another moment to grab it by the handle and lift it, intending to leave the bathroom with it in hand. Surely, the clothes wouldn't have gotten that wet yet.

However, as soon as she did, the suitcase opened on its own accord, as if it was already open before she had lifted it by the handle. All the clothes encased inside fell out in a flourish, landing onto the wet shower floor. It didn't help that on top of that, the water from the shower head above was trickling down onto all her clothes.

_Oh no, my clothes! _

In a panic-stricken state, she turned on one of the knobs in an effort to close the shower tap, and then started to put her clothes back hastily into the suitcase. Alas, her attempt had gone futile as she felt rain of water being poured down on her, drenching herself, _and _her clothes. Instead of stopping the water, the shower had turned on fully, like a waterfall. Upon reflex, she immediately put her hands to her head, and her eyes fluttered in response to the impact of water on her body.

Tensed, she turned on the knob to stop the flow of water, but it only got worse. She further started playing around with the various knobs in an effort to solve the issue, but it just kept getting worse; the pressure of the water increased, and along with herself, her clothes got drenched even more. The contraption of this shower was too complex for her to understand or deal with. Nothing she was trying was working. The water just kept glowing out the shower head.

Despite all her attempts, her hands fiddling and playing around with the various knobs of the contraption, the water just wouldn't turn off. Realizing she was having no luck, she decided to just do something about her clothes before they would get soaked any further. Quickly, she gathered her clothes off the floor, bunching them into her fists, and hastily placing them in her almost hollow suitcase.

However, adding to her frustration, the clothes just kept slipping through her fingers, courtesy of the water above pouring from the shower head mounted on the wall high above her. She looked up above at the shower head, clearly agitated at her current situation. Determined, she didn't give up, and looked back down at her clothes, placing them into her suitcase in a more assertive manner.

Jack came inside the bathroom and a satisfied, smug smirk crossed his lips as he saw a frantic Kim right under the shower, struggling to put all her now drenched, soaked clothes back into her suitcase. He stood at the door, watching poor Kim and her suitcase. Not even bothering to give her a helping hand.

In the midst of her efforts, she was forced to sharply turn around behind her, hearing a familiar smug, deep voice. "What's wrong?"

She sent a menacing glare his way, her eyes blazing with anger. And yet, he remained unwavering and unaffected, maintaining his smug stand, leaning by the door he walked through, leering at her.

"What have you done?! You ruined all my clothes!" She revolted at him. Wet strands of hair stuck to her face as she leered at him. He said nothing still, just standing there looking at her state.

Ignoring him, she turned back around, resuming placing her clothes inside her suitcase. She forced to turn back around to face him angrily yet again when he interrupted with his calm voice.

"I only put the suitcase here." She whipped back around to glare at him upon hearing his calm, overconfident voice. "Your clothes only got wet because of _you._"

"Real funny, Jack!"

"Oh I don't think it is." He innocently retaliated with a calm tone.

Kim glared back, cold. She shut the suitcase with a snap, clearly aggravated at his immature actions. But not without fixing her gaze on him. She couldn't believe this, even after telling him everything, it was all clear, out in the open! He knew it all, so why the rash behaviour now? He kept looking at her with a smug line across his lips, one that translated into victory of having put her into a dilemma. She wanted to throttle him for his lack of sensitivity.

He heard a soft knock at the door of his bedroom, and stepped out to go check it out, leaving a fuming, disgruntled Kim. Having no choice, after he left, she stood up back on her feet; she heaved on the suitcase by the handle, and dragged it across the bathroom floor, out the bathroom.

As she came out, she looked up to see Jack opening the door to the bedroom, greeting the lady she'd been introduced to the day before as Elizabeth.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," Elizabeth cordially replied. As she walked in, her eyes fell on Kim, who was hauling her suitcase across the carpet floor. Her eyes widened with shock seeing her drenched state.

Ignoring her plight, Kim nevertheless faced the lady in front of her, greeting a polite and courteous good morning with a faint smile.

"Good morning," she replied curtly. "You two aren't ready yet?" She questioned, her eyes shifting between Jack behind her and Kim standing in front of her. "Mr. Marcus has called for you downstairs."

Jack smirked, hands in his pockets as Elizabeth spoke, while Kim's jaw dropped at her words. _Downstairs? But how am I supposed to go down now? _She looked briefly at Jack, who had a calm look on his face, and then quivered. "Uhm, actually all my clothes got wet, and -"

Before she could continue, Jack swiftly walked up to his Lizzy bear, turning her around by the shoulders and as he practically shoving her outside their door, he spoke, "Lizzy bear! Don't worry, tell Dad that I'll be down soon."

He continually said bye to her three times in a row as he gently pushed her out the door, and Elizabeth was left dumbstruck at Jack's actions as she came face to face with the door.

Kim started to nervously bite her nails and chew on her bottom lip, so much so that it almost bled. What was she going to do now? What would she wear? How would she get ready?

Jack's smug voice entering her ears brought her out of her thoughts, and caused her to grudgingly face him as he walked back into the room. She followed his gaze as he looked at the posh clock hanging on the wall above the couch. "At exactly nine o'clock, Dad will head out to the hotel. We have just _fifteen minutes _to get ready."

He looked at her with a smirk, and then took a big step to stand right in front of her, glowering. "I mean, _you do." _

She threw him an exasperated look and could only gape away as he slowly, in a taunting manner, walked past her to another corner of the room. She stared out into empty space in front of her, perplexed and puzzled at what she would do now. She was in a serious fix right now. _C'mon Kim, think! You always have the best ideas. Think of something! _

She was so focused in the frenzy of thoughts that she blatantly ignored Jack as he took out a white towel from the wardrobe, and threw it over his shoulder. He pulled out a hangar from the wardrobe, which had his clothes for the day on it, and then closed it shut with the handle.

Mindlessly ignoring him walking right past her, she was taken off guard at the sound of his voice. She looked up in surprise to see a challenging smirk on his face as he spoke - "_JUST _fifteen minutes."

_Mission accomplished. Now let's see how you get out of this one, __Mark's little niece__. _And with that, he continued to walk past her confidently, or perhaps, _over confidently, _making his way towards the bathroom door a few feet away.

She was so tensed about the situation that she couldn't even vent her frustration out on him in her mind. She had to do something, and fast. But what? Gosh, if she was in gardenia right now, she would've just used her iron or something. "Oh God, what do I do now?"

Elizabeth's entry into the room brought her out of her frenzy, as she looked at the troubled girl from afar. "Bride?"

Her voice brought her out of her mind's dilemma, causing her to look for the source of the voice, which she realized came at the bedroom door. _Elizabeth? _

"You told me only half the story, but I understood the whole picture." She said as she approached her, walking up to her with a white object in hand.

Kim however was still confused at her words, but her doubts were cleared clean when Elizabeth handed the white object in her hands into hers.

_An iron? _Her face lit up with relief. This was just what she needed! "Thank you so much, Elizabeth!" She came right in her time of need, she's so nice! "You're truly a lifesaver sent from above."

Elizabeth gave her a warm smile in return. "Alright, now go get ready and come down soon, mhhm?"

Kim nodded, and with one last loving smile sent her way, she turned back around to go out the door.

* * *

Hot iron in hand, her hand moved all across the fabric of a purple lace camisole that she would wear under a purple dress she had picked out from her drenched suitcase. She hastily ironed away, eager to hurry up and get ready soon. Thank goodness Elizabeth sent an iron board and other materials for her through one of the butlers. If it wasn't for her, she would have been in a serious mess.

Ready for the day, he came out the bathroom confidently and walked over to the dressing mirror and table by the bed. Clad in casual jeans, a branded yellow t-shirt and a green casual, sleeveless jacket vest on top, he played with the strands of his hair with his fingers, eyeing himself in the mirror. With that, he noticed a busy Kim in the reflection, looking down at her camisole as she ironed away.

"Wow press and all, huh." She briefly looked up hearing his voice, and then looked back down. She had no time to lose. Anyways, she was just about done - she'd ironed her whole dress; once the camisole was done, she was all set.

But of course, that didn't mean she couldn't retort back with a taunt. "Why, I can't even _iron_ now? You got a problem with that too?" She yelled, and turned to glare at him through the mirror with her big doe eyes filled with daggers. She stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes full of determination and confidence.

Impressed with her sturdy and upright personality, he returned her glare by glaring right back through the mirror, his back towards her.

Satisfied, she looked away, directing her attention back to her ironing.

"_MARK'S little NIECE." _

She immediately froze hearing those three taunting words yet again. She turned sideways. He stood right in front of her, his hand leaning on the iron board. Again with the mark's little niece comment? That was the third time he had called her with that name. What was his problem?

"First things first, _lower your voice." _He seethed.

_You gotta be kidding me. _She was frustrated with the circumstances as much as he was. She had every right to raise her voice at him. Just because they were married didn't mean he could dictate her life!

"And _second._ This room is _mine. _So only _I _have a right to yell."

She sharply unfurled her fingers around the handle on the iron that was on the silky material of the camisole, letting go to put her hand on her hip, and then faced him with anger, an intrigued line across her lips. _Oh really now. _

Silence took over again. Both glared at the latter - another tit for tat battle ensued. Thin lines were across both husband and wife's faces. While _she _glared at him angrily, _he _did the same with a calm, composed manner.

She'd reached her saturation point - it was time to teach him a lesson. "Just because I'm tolerating you doesn't mean you can - there's a limit to everything!"

He stayed silent, eyeing her.

"And ever since I've arrived, you keep calling me -" she trailed off. She couldn't even say it. She was so angry and frustrated that she was finding it hard to complete her sentences. They were great in her head, but it just wasn't coming out right. "I clearly explained everything to you, didn't I?" What did he want? She already told him the reason behind what she did. What more did he want from her? "I already told you - whatever I did, I did because of my dad." She hastily said.

Jack had no interest in what she wanted to say. He looked at his watch on his wrist in a taunting and challenging manner, "just _five _minutes left."

Her lips nervously twitched downward, and her spunk faltered. "Yeah so -" she stammered and stuttered, not able to give him a fitting reply. Even she didn't know how she would get ready in five minutes, but of course she wouldn't give HIM that satisfaction. "I-I'll get re-ready in - in five minutes." She said with hesitation.

She looked away in a spunky manner, yet was still inwardly worried about how on Earth she would get ready in five minutes. She was still damp from head to toe.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed he was still looking at her. A look that accurately portrayed the idiom - 'silent but deadly.' _Huh? Why is he looking at me like that? _She looked back at him to meet his calm gaze. Moments passed between the duo as they looked at the latter. Kim was confused as to why he kept on looking at her. She glared at him, but to no avail. What was going on in that head of his? A calm Jack definitely meant trouble.

He quirked his eyebrows upwards, his eyes drifting towards the iron laid flat on her purple camisole.

Her jaw immediately dropped and her lips formed an o-shape when she followed his gaze. Horrified, she took no longer than a moment to lift the iron off the camisole and place it upright on the board, away from the dress. _Oh no, my camisole! _She used the tips of her fingers to lift it up in the air in front of her - a big, wide hole formed in the middle of the shirt, where silk, satin material once was. What was she going to do now? Her dress was transparent, see-through without the camisole! How would she go down now? And she definitely didn't have enough time to pull out another dress.

Jack smirked devilishly at her, pleased with her response. The panic, horrific look on her face brought solace to his soul. He inched closer to her and spoke with a clear, smug voice, "I told you. You _won't _be able to get ready."

Her fingers furled and clenched around the shirt in anger. Cursing wasn't in her nature, but oh how she felt like wringing his neck right now. _Jack Anderson. _She sharply turned to look at him, her jaw clenched.

"Welcome to hell.. _Mark's__ little __niece__." _He reiterated, stressing his point, driving it home.

An eye brawl ensued, neither one backing down. A confident glint was in his eyes; there was no way she'd be able to get downstairs in time now. Anger and fury was in her eyes; he was pushing this way too far!

She continued to look on as he slowly, in a painfully and excruciatingly slow manner, walked by her, just to add salt to her wounds. As he walked across the room and then soon out the bedroom door, her eyes wandered back to the big whopping hole in the centre of her camisole. Worried would be an understatement. She whipped around to look at the analog clock situated on the wall across the bed - five minutes to nine - and then turned back around. Time was of the essence, and she didn't even have decent clothes ready. Only The Lord knew how she would get out of this one.

* * *

"Good morning everyone." He cheerily greeted as he sat down on the dining table beside his mother, who was sitting by his father.

His loving family returned the gesture with polite good mornings. In a stranger's eyes, seeing the jovial atmosphere at the dining table, one could say that this was a typical morning in the Anderson home. And Jack was determined to make it just that.

Katherine observed her son as he settled down into his chair and smiled at everyone, behaving like his normal self. She might be smiling on the outside, but was equally as intrigued and curious about Kim. Had she not come down with him? What could be the reason? They seemed quite lovey-dovey last night.

"Good morning, my boy." Marcus said with a smile as he sat like a king on a throne at the head of the table. "Where is Kim?"

"Dad, she's sleeping." He bluffed the white lie, hesitation miles away nowhere audible in his voice.

"Ah, there she is. Your lie has been caught, my son." Marcus quipped, his eyes directed away from the table, towards empty air as he looked to his lateral side. Jack had bluffed, and Kim had appeared right after. "Look over there."

_Huh? _His smile faltered hearing his father' words. _That's not possible! _How did she manage to iron another dress so quickly? He scoffed in his mind. _Well, even if she got something to wear, I bet she looks like a mess. _

Jack was in for a surprise when he turned around in his seat to see her approaching the table shortly after. Clad in a long, purple dress that touched the floor, she walked with a ladylike grace and poise, a smile on her face. Her hair was perfectly adorned in curls. If he didn't know any better, who could have said just five minutes ago she was drenched from head to toe? Kim was headstrong, smart, spunky, simple, and stunning.

In fact, just about everyone looked on at Kim's beauty and the way she elegantly carried herself as she approached the table.

Katherine and Natalie were awestruck, but after briefly popping her eyes wide at the sight of Kim, Shania angrily looked at her in a jealous manner. For she knew that her own sister Myra had nowhere near the beauty, elegance, or classiness that Kim had in her.

A smile crept up on Joshua's lips upon the sight of her. She looked like an angel. Indeed, just like he'd told his father earlier this morning by the pool, Kim was just the kind of girl that Jack needed in his life.

As she finally approached the table to stand by Katherine and Marcus, Jack rolled his eyes and turned back around in his seat, staring at his food in a grumbling manner.

"Good morning Mark." She politely greeted.

"A very good morning indeed, sweetheart. You look beautiful."

Kim smiled, and then glanced at Katherine beside her. "Good morning, Kat."

"Good morning." Kat said grudgingly and reluctantly, rolling her eyes.

One by one, she greeted everyone at the dining table with utter etiquette and politeness, and everyone returned the gesture as well. Some with a smile and friendly greeting back like Joshua, while others with a sullen voice and rolling of eyes, namely Natalie and Shania. Kim also didn't forget to greet Elizabeth a second time that morning, and flashed a thumbs-up at her, who was standing by Jack, when no one was watching.

Jack watched as Kim confidently greeted everyone with a smile, his eyes wandering, looking up and down her figure from head to toe. _The camisole got burnt, then her wearing this dress... Gotta admit, this Mark's little niece sure is a shrewd one. _

"Come, sit next to your husband." Marcus beckoned.

Kim looked nervously at Jack, who angrily avoided her gaze. "Okay," she meekly replied, making her away to sit on the chair beside him.

Elizabeth happily made way for her, stepping away from Jack and adjusting her seat.

She shifted in her seat as she settled in. Jack looked at her with an annoyed face as she blatantly ignored his angry gaze. He looked away and started to eat spoons of cereal and milk absentmindedly.

"I'm not late, am I Mark?" She asked jovially, peeking her head out so that Mark could see her and make eye contact.

"No, of course not," he cheerily replied.

Kim smugly exchanged an eye glance with Jack as he looked at her hearing her clear taunt. She looked over at Marcus once again hearing his voice, breaking their eye war.

"Oh and one more thing - please don't call me _'Mark' _anymore. You can call me Dad, or," he suggested, "father?" He held an apple slice in his fingers and took a bite when his wife interrupted.

"Mr. Marcus," she intervened with a slight laugh, "getting married doesn't mean all relationships have changed."

Marcus silently eyed his wife and then his two children, Jack and Kim hearing her comment.

"I think Mark is fine. It sounds pleasing to the ear as well." She glanced sideways at Kim, "the rest is up to you, _bride." _A kind of spite was in her tone as she said the word bride. It was clear that Katherine was not fond of her, and did not appreciate the idea of calling Mark father or dad.

Tension was clear in the air as Katherine continued to look at Kim in an intimidating manner, and Kim could do nothing but nervously look back.

"Alright, well what do we want to do about the wedding banquet?" He would've done it right in Gardenia as it WAS a Gardenia tradition. It was a ceremony to be held after the marriage was complete. But of course the circumstances of the wedding were such that a wedding banquet would clearly not seem plausible at the time.

The mere thought itself got all eyes on Marcus. Jack looked at his father as if he had tentacles and four eyes, while Kim however had quite a calm look on her face as if it was no big deal at all. It was a tradition after all.

"Dad, you mean reception?" _Was he being serious? _

"A wedding banquet means much more than just a reception, Jack." He took another bite out of his apple slice, "Kim honey, please enlighten him on what a wedding banquet means in Gardenia and what value it holds."

Kim exchanged a look with Jack, a smile on her lips. On the other hand, Jack looked at her with angry eyes. Their staring contest was broken with Marcus's voice - "Our Jackie boy here is a little weak in upbringing and tradition."

Albeit Marcus was a successful entrepreneur who lived a posh and lavish life in L.A., he was still deeply grounded in his roots and traditions of Gardenia. And the only person who understood his insight into the necessity of having a wedding banquet was his favourite niece, Kim.

"But now that you're here, you'll slowly teach him everything." He said, an apple slice lingering in his fingers as he spoke.

Kim meekly smiled, and nodded her head, looking down at the food on her plate.

Finishing up the slice in hand, he wiped his hands with the tablecloth napkin set beside his plate, and told everyone that he would head out now. "I have to go to my office for a few hours, and then to the orphanage."

Upon seeing raised, curious heads at his remark of going off to an orphanage, he explained further with a smile that he had promised The Lord that if Jack would get the best girl in the world for a life partner, he would feed kids of the orphanage. God fulfilled his part of the bargain, now it was his turn, he said in a tone that was slightly joking, but still very serious.

Describing Kim as the world's best girl in front of three other women of the Anderson home, Katherine, Natalie, and Shania - Marcus did not gain extra fans, and one could simply resort into thinking about what was going on in these three minds on how to turn Marcus against his loveable niece.

Kim was quite touched at Mark's words, while Jack rolled his eyes at the same. _Best girl - pffff in a million years. _

"And then of course, we've got to start making preparations - for the wedding banquet next month of course."

Jack interrupted his father midway as he started to get up from his seat. "Dad," he objected, "we _just _got married. Why do we need to declare it to the world? I mean, _I _don't think all of this is necessary."

A wide-eyed Kim looked over at Jack sitting beside her, whose attention was directly focused on his father, clearly not agreeing with the idea of having a wedding banquet, reception, whatever you wanna call it. It was bad enough that he got married to such a plain Jane, no way he was gonna let the whole world make a mockery of that. He had a reputation and image to uphold.

"Of course it is, son."

He did not want to go ahead with the wedding banquet because he was not happy with this marriage. So why involve other people in it?

"Yea-yeah Dad, what I'm trying to say is - "

"Mark, you're absolutely right." He was cut-off by that annoying mark's little niece and sharply glanced at her with razor-sharp eyes.

She avoided his gaze and looked at her Mark Uncle, unaffected by Jack's displeasure. "The wedding banquet is necessary. If we fulfill the relationship which God has blessed, only then will the marriage be complete. Right?"

"The child is right," her loving Mark agreed, pointing his finger up in the air.

And of course, it was no shocker that Katherine was also not pleased with the same notion - after all, to everyone except Kim and Marcus, the banquet was just a wedding reception. It held no importance other than just flaunting your marriage to the world.

He gave her an immensely anger-filled glare. _And lo and behold, the game-playing Mark's little niece strikes again! When I'm __saying__ that the wedding banquet isn't necessary, is it really __necessary__ for her to say that the banquet is necessary? _He shook his head, annoyed with another betrayal.

_I'm sorry Jack. _She looked at him with empathy as he tore his glaring gaze away from her and found interest in the tablecloth spread out on the dining table. But clear anger lines were still made visible to her on his face. _I have no intention of going against you. But like Mark said, perhaps you know nothing about the banquet. A wedding banquet is a tradition, it isn't just a reception or an announcement to the world. It is an opportunity to complete a marriage. _

What Kim thought of as a wedding banquet was precisely what she thought of her marriage with Jack as well. Despite his opinion of their marriage, she had married him to spend the rest of her life with him. Even though, he had made it clear to her that he would make her life a living hell, deep down she was still determined to maintain this relationship.

Awkward silence followed between the duo; he scowled at her, while she felt empathy for him. Just like the way she had felt seeing his dejected face when he learnt that she had told her father yes to getting married. Not able to handle that incredulous look a second time, she chose to awkwardly look away; up, down, left, right, anywhere. Just not at him.

And it was then that he moved his head, and got a good look at the white acrylic painted brand words on her camisole. That was the moment that he realized she was wearing no camisole - she was wearing his shirt! HIS bloody shirt! Fury overtook him as he contemplated the thought even of her going through his closet and touching HIS stuff. His eyes drifted from the shirt up to her face.

Her head was turned away from his, trying to hide from his piercing gaze. She realized her shirt was slightly sticking out from the dress, and so tugged on it subtly to hide the words underneath the lace.

* * *

_Flashback _

_She sharply turned around to look at the analog clock mounted on the wall across the wall that the bed was against. _

_Five minutes to nine. _

_Swiftly turning back around to look at her dress on the iron board, she went into thought, and then started to contemplate as to what she should do now. "What do I do now? My dress is ready, but my camisole is burned." _

_Her gaze travelled over to the wardrobe on her right, where Jack had previously picked out his clothes and towel to get ready. In a haste, she strode over, opening the wardrobe doors. Rummaging through the clothes on the hangars, her eyes finally set on a particular piece of clothing. She pulled out a purple shirt by the hangar, and stared at it. __This'll do perfectly__. _

_End Flashback_

* * *

As Shania nonchalantly sipped on her orange juice, she choked on the liquid down her throat, the liquid had gone down the wrong tube, her trachea, instead of her food pipe. The reason? She had noticed that Kim was wearing Jack's shirt under her lace dress!

Immediately, she got up out if her seat and made her way toward Katherine, who was sitting at the other end of the table by her husband Marcus. On the pretext of getting some more juice from the glass jug near her, she leaned and whispered into Katherine's ear, "Mom, Kim's wearing Jack's shirt."

Katherine's eyeballs shot out of her sockets as she noticed the same, appalled. Gutter thoughts filled her mind - it didn't take long for her to put two and two together in her mind. Usually, when a girl would wear a guy's shirt the next morning after... Well to sum it up, it meant there was a _lot _of proximity between the two. One could only imagine what the lady was going through. But more so, she was just confused. On one hand, Jack refused to have a wedding banquet. But on the other, Kim had come down wearing Jack's _shirt? _It was time to confront her son - she was getting more and more perplexed by the minute.

* * *

**Next time on BOUNDLESS: **

Katherine, Natalie, and Shania triumphantly watched from the porch a sullen Kim sitting on a bench in the open yard by the front gates of Brooke Villa. Her suitcase sat on the ground beside her.

"See, girls? Just like this, we have to throw and kick this girl out of here with all her belongings. And that day? Isn't very far."

**-0-0-0-**

Shocked, Jack looked out one of his windows in his room to see a sad Kim sitting on a bench, her suitcase set on the ground beside her. Not able to believe it, he pushed away the curtains to get a better look. What was happening? Why was she sitting all alone like that with her stuff? He gazed at her with sympathy. He'd better go check it out and bring her back inside.

* * *

**how did you find it? Do leave your comments pretty please :) **


	5. Plan No 1

**AN: If you've already read chapters 5-6 before they were deleted, then just scroll down for the rest of the chapter :) Enjoy! :) **

* * *

**S2/E4/Ch14 - Plan Number One**

Angry with Kim, Jack furiously barged into his room with a violent push on the double doors. He approached her as her back was turned to him, ironing his purple T-shirt she wore earlier that morning on the iron board. He marched up to her, turning her around by her shoulders forcefully with a harsh jerk. His fingertips dug through her now casual dress she was wearing, into the soft skin of her arms. She felt immense pain as she was whirled around suddenly to face a raging Jack. His eyes spelled fury and hurt.

"So you won't stop playing your games, will you." Before she even had a chance to process the scary Jack standing before her, he spoke his words of spite. _"Mark's little NIECE!." _He revolted. She looked into his eyes, eyes that were filled with passion and intense anger.

"You found an opportunity and attacked!" Jack had gained a very negative mind - he was failing to understand Kim's position and plight at all, while she sympathized with him at every turn. Her abiding by traditions - he was seeing it as an opportunity that she was using against him.

And yet, she tried to explain. "Jack, I only said yes for the banquet cause - "

He dug his fingers further into her skin with more pressure, "because YOU wanted to show that _you _are my wife _and _the daughter-in-law of this family."

"Here's a suggestion. Make some posters, and put them up all around the city!" He threw her a menacing look before violently shoving her away with brute force.

Shocked beyond measure, she was taken aback by his cruel words. If she hadn't held her ground, she would've toppled over. Granted, she felt guilty for betraying him the way she did. She understood his plight, his anger, his frustration.

But she was no pushover. She understood his grief, but she would _not _let herself be his doormat. "I have NO interest in declaring that I'm _your _wife! I said yes for the banquet because," she paused, containing her emotions, keeping them in check, "because it's tradition, it should be done."

"Well I don't want to have a wedding banquet!" He adamantly and stubbornly replied.

"What do you even know about your roots, _London-return Jack Anderson?!" _She spat, her eyes spitting fire and rage. "You don't even know whether to bow with your right hand or your left!"

"Yeah, I don't." He revolted. "So are you my teacher or something who's gonna teach me?"

And she replied to Jack in her own manner.

"No. I'm your _wife." _She corrected him. She was not the simpering maiden, but a strong girl who knew how to contain her emotions.

Despite him not accepting her as his wife and _despite _the hard feelings she had for him, she still accepted herself as Jack's wife.

They say that a person's biggest teacher is his mother whom has the greatest influence over a person, but it could also be stated that a man's second teacher end up being his wife - a woman could guide the man on the right path, and it was a woman who could lead a man astray. And as his wife, she would try to guide him onto the right path. But would his stubbornness and frustration ever allow that to happen?

As her words reverberated in his ears over and over again, it made him all the more furious.

_wife._

_Wife. _

_WIFE. _

_And that was the last nail in the coffin. _

Just seeing her face every minute, every second of every day reminded him that she was his wife, that he was MARRIED. That she had entered his life by force. But now that she had openly declared her right and authority over him, his hatred only grew.

Before she knew what was happening, in the blink of an eye, he gripped her arm suddenly, twisting it behind her back, and then pulled her closer to him. Tears started to form on the brim of her eyes as she felt immense pain. Not once did he waver his furious gaze from her all the while as he locked her arm in place. He wanted to hurt her as much as she was hurting him with her presence in his life.

His hand on her wrist, he half-twisted it further into her back, manhandling her, and stared into her eyes.

There was passion, chemistry. And above all – _intensity_.

His eyes spat fire and were filled with hatred and anger, forcing her to look at the intensity of his gaze. She tried to wring free of his hold, but it only ended up giving her more physical pain. Nevertheless, she tackled his gaze head on by looking into his eyes with an equal amount of intensity. She refused to let her tears roll down from the brim of her eyes as she stared right back into his eyes. No matter how much he was hurting her physically and emotionally, she would _not _let him have the satisfaction.

"I know what you're _thinking,_ and what you're _doing." _His grasp firmed around her wrist.

_"_Fine. Go on. Do as you please. Wear _Mark's given clothes_, sit on the stage with me."

Her eyes became even more moist as he spoke the following sentence with such conviction that shook her to the core, displaying his boundless hatred for her - "but you will _never _have _any _place in my life." She could see the flame of fury, flickering in his eyes today.

"Mark's little," helet her go with a violent jerk, "NIECE." His tone was scathing_. _

Hurt, she could do nothing but just gaze into that flame. Something that was now stronger than ever. Time paused as he continued to stare at her, his gaze still filled with fiery respite.

"I don't _wanna _be a part of your life!" She spat and defied him, refuting his respite.

"Here's your _t-shirt,_" she said, harshly bunching up the shirt on the iron board into her hands, and throwing it at his face in a repulsive manner.

His entire face quaked with rage after his shirt collided with his face harshly and fell into his hands.

"What, you think you're the only one who's suffering?" She said, while he was burning with anger and hatred.

Kim was a subtle, respectful, and humble human being, but yet she would _never _take crap from anyone, and would fight and fire back with all her might.

"Every moment in this room is painful for me too!"

Jack literally thought and believed that he was the only one hurting, and had a problem with their current situation. He thought that Kim was an opportunist, but the actual fact was, that Kim was hurting more than he could imagine. She had dreamt of a fairy tale wedding with Brett, which did not turn great, and then she ended up marrying Jack. Every girl dreamt of her wedding day and married life, but what about Kim's dreams? They had been shattered, but she would keep trying and trying to make the best of it.

She took a step towards him defiantly, facing him with utmost confidence, determination, and yet her eyes spelled anger and frustration as well.

"You get that?"

And never in his life, had Jack encountered such a powerful and strong-minded person in his life before who could tackle him head on. Be able to give him tit for tat. And that was one of the reasons he was so taken aback by her spunk. The fact that she had the guts to defy him and not just sit in a corner and cry like normally a girl would do in such a situation, and be suppressed by him, shook him to the core.

Once again, the child in him failed to admit his faults and own up to his mistakes. Clearly, he was out of words and had nothing to say in return. And so, he chose the easy way out.

_Whatever. _He tore his gaze away from her, and stormed off, leaving her broken, shattered, and all alone once more.

Her eyes welled up as she stared at his storming figure leaving, and then turned her back to where he once was. She was trying her best to stay strong, to sympathize with his pain and make this marriage work. But to say that his words didn't once leave a dagger in her heart... Would be a flat out lie. And she knew it.

Her eyelids slowly closed over her eyes, trapping the tears inside. She knew she didn't belong here, she had really intruded in on his freedom. As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, was there _any _future in this relationship? Or rather, what was to become of _their _future, _together_?

Her questions were answered fervently by him as she heard fire crackling behind her, and could make out Jack's figure out of the corner of her eye. She swiftly turned around_. _And what she saw before her shocked her to the core. Her longing, pain increasing tenfold.

No, it wasn't Jack that shook her up, but what he was holding in the air by the tips of his fingers boldly for her to see.

A purple shirt, engulfed in flames. Smoke emanated from the shirt crackling with fire. But the most shocking part? It was the same shirt that she had just ironed for him just moments ago. The same shirt that she wore earlier that morning with her purple dress. And the same shirt, that was now on fire right in front of her.

That shirt which Jack burned down today was symbolic to a message Kim understood well as tears pooled in her eyes.

Anything you touch, I will set on fire.

The shirt slowly began to turn to ash, black as coal. Just like his eyes, as cold as the darkness.

"I told you. Nothing in this room is yours."

Kim felt the intensity of his hatred for her coming her way, and that's what shocked her to the core.

"If you touch _anything_ in this room, it will meet the same fate as," his eyes sharply wandered to the burning shirt in front of him slowly turning to ash, "this."

She looked at the cold version of Jack Anderson in front of her, and could feel those traitorous tears begin to fill her eyes. He dropped the shirt by his fingers, letting it fall to the floor.

All she could see at that moment was his eyes, filled with hatred and anger.

They exchanged a fiery stare between them, which felt like eons. One full of innocent hurt and pain; and the other full of intense, passionate, and loathing hatred.

That purple shirt was his, which she took from him without his permission.

Hadn't she taken away his freedom just the same way? Without his permission, a yes from his side too.

Kim decided to return his shirt properly ironed, as if she had gift wrapped it. Jack burned it.

He doesn't want anything from her. Has nothing to do with that which makes them one. Just like that shirt.

He with all his might was trying to wipe her existence from his life by giving her a no possibility for a future with him. So that she decides to leave him and doesn't hope to build on the marriage.

He left without saying another word, and strode out the French bedroom doors. She felt desperate and helpless. She was all alone. Having to fight this battle all by herself.

A lone tear escaped her eye, and trailed down her face. The hidden pain behind her pretty eyes could make anyone cry. An ocean of agony behind that strong front she put up in front of him.

* * *

Beads of sweat perforated on his forehead as his legs had a mind of its own, running at the speed of light on the treadmill. The recent turn of events had his mind in a whirlwind, a thin line across his lips. His life had turned upside down. He had gone from living like a free bird in London to being caged in a meaningless marriage with Kim in the blink of an eye.

The adrenaline in his legs increased further upon recalling that reverberating slap that was blown to him by his father, right in front of Kim and his mother that night. He still remembered his father's words of declaration in Chuck's room on that forlorn night -

_"__He__ has committed the mistake, and __he__ is the one who is going to rectify it." _

_And in the next sentence he spoke, he had dropped the bomb - "__**by **__**marrying**__** Kim." **_

His chest heaved up and down, remembering her words of promise, words that sounded so honest and trustworthy at the time**. **_"This wedding won't happen." _

_"Promise?" _

_She shook his hand with a determined face. A face that would say that she was determined to keep her promise. _

_"__**Promise**__." _

His eyebrows furrowed. And then came the revelation that signified her betrayal. He still remembered chuck's pale face and weak voice as he uttered the words_, "you two are ready to get married."_

But that wasn't the most shocking part.

_"__**Kim honey just told me..." **_

And then the priest's words at the ceremony - _"Kimberly Anne Crawford, do you accept Jack Marcus Anderson as your lawfully wedded husband?" _

_A lone tear dropped from the brim of her bottom eyelid, her wedding veil draped over her face preventing anyone from seeing her pain. "__**I do**__." _

And even after all that, she didn't stop. His blood boiled, recalling the most recent event this morning - _"Mark, you're absolutely right." _

_She avoided his gaze and looked at her Mark Uncle, unaffected by Jack's displeasure. "__**The wedding banquet is a must."**_

He was so engrossed in his mind's predicament that he didn't even notice his mother approaching him, standing by the treadmill he was running on. She questioned him about his behaviour, but her words went in one ear, and out the other. It was only when Katherine mentioned Kim wearing his shirt at breakfast that Jack's frustration and helplessness reached its peak.

As she said today, 'I am your wife.'

Which led to him running a mile with a frustrated mind. This is what he didn't want. This was the reason he told Katherine the truth. It was a 'Stop her, mom' kinda thing.

"I burned that shirt on fire, Mom." He was both angry and annoyed.

He'd had enough. Things had gone too far, he needed to stop her before it was too late. He'd thought that he could handle this on his own, but clearly he couldn't.

His mom had told him not to go to Gardenia, but he didn't listen. His Dad really wanted him to go, so how could he not. His father was the most important person in his life, he was his superhero, he meant the world to him. He'd do anything for his father.

She'd told him that every time he wouldn't listen to her, he'd get into trouble. She was right. He should've never gone to Gardenia. He wouldn't have even been in this mess in the first place.

Katherine felt content and relieved at his son's words, and was glad he finally confided in her. Now she would handle things her own way. She was in control this time, and with Jack on her side and heeding her words, nothing could stop her from driving Kim out of Brooke Villa once and for all.

She indirectly assured him that she would remove Kim from his life. She reminded him of a stray puppy he brought home from the street one day when he was little.

His mother continued to narrate the rest of the incident to him as she walked him around the perimeter of the swimming pool - "I told you again and again that this puppy is a filthy dog, it's not good enough for you, I'll get you a nice, breeding puppy. But no, you were quite stubborn! _I want THIS puppy." _

He faintly recalled that incident, "I remember, mom." That puppy ran away, and it never came back.

_Exactly. _She then informed him the truth about that incident, although he was quite confused as to why they were talking about this. "But that puppy didn't run away. _I _drove the dog out of your life Jack, for your own good."

Even after his mother's explanation and comparison of Kim to the puppy, Jack didn't understand her analogy.

Jack seemed a little apprehensive at the conviction in her voice when she told him not to worry about a thing, but the assurance he felt from his mother overpowered the same. As long as she was out of his life. He nodded and left.

Unbeknownst to him, Natalie joined Katherine shortly after he left, and exchanged devilish smiles with each other.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was busy in the kitchen, cleaning up the aftermath of lunch, and also preparing for dinner later on. Amidst the hustle and bustle among the kitchen staff, she looked up to see a smiling Kim entering through, right into the large kitchen. Her face lit up seeing the newlywed, she'd grown quite an attachment for the girl in front of her already.

"Oh heavens! Bride! You shouldn't be here! Is there something you need? Why, you didn't have to come, you could have just rung for me in your room, and I would be at your service." She frantically spoke as she approached Kim as she walked in.

"Actually, i don't need anything. I came to see _you_, Elizabeth."

_M-Me? _She was just a measly housekeep, what could the bride want with her?

"I wanted to thank you... for this morning. You were a godsend. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I would've ever made it to the breakfast table on time."

Albeit she had her dress figured out, but her hair and face was still a mess. Luckily, Elizabeth had sensed her predicament, and came to her aid in the nick of time. She knew something was off ever since Jack hurriedly pushed her out the door of their room. In a jiffy, she fixed her hair and makeup in no time, dolling her up to look like a princess with yet a minute to spare.

Elizabeth was truly touched. No one had, apart from Jack and Marcus, showered so much love and affection on her. Katherine always treated her like a servant of this palace. And the way that Kim spoke, there was a certain sense of endearment and kindness in it, as if she was her own loved one.

"God bless you, my child. Thank the Lord such well-mannered and kind hearted women still exist in today's day and age." She replied with a warm smile as her eyes became moist.

"Just hold on one second, bride, mhhm?" Elizabeth made her way to the kitchen counter against the wall nearby.

After a while of Kim awkwardly looking around the kitchen, her eyes wandering to and fro, she was surprised on feeling a cold touch being placed into the palm of her hand. She looked down to see a pair of beautiful gold earrings in her open hand.

Elizabeth sensed her confusion, and explained. "Jack brought them for me."

She then looked up at Elizabeth standing before her with a heartfelt smile. If they were for her, then why did she give them in her palm?

"I had told him right away - 'darling, give them to your wife when you get married'". She giggled in a vivacious manner recalling that memory. "And you know what he said?" She shook her head, a smile playing on her lips as she remembered his reply.

* * *

_Flashback _

_"Lizzy bear, you can forget about the notion of my wedding." _

_"Hmmm..." She looked him up and down, is that so darling? _

_"The thing is, Lizzy bear, the girl that I want... doesn't exist," he told her with a know-it-all smirk on his lips as he casually hung his arm around her shoulder. "And if she doesn't exist, then what's the point in waiting?" _

_End Flashback_

* * *

He had an image of that _ideal _girl for him? She'd always thought of him as an irresponsible boy who only cared about himself. His freedom, his life. But seeing the love-adorning way Elizabeth was taking about him, she was taken aback hearing Jack's words from her mouth.

But clearly, _she _wasn't that ideal girl. Elizabeth's words reminded her once more she had been forced into his life, and guilt consumed her again.

The sweet, bubbly voice of Elizabeth brought her out of her reverie. "Who knew that, he would find his companion, his life partner so soon?" From the moment she'd saw her, she knew she was the one for her darling Jack. He couldn't have gained a better life partner than her.

She faintly smiled in return, trying her best to hide her pain. If only she knew, forget life partner, he couldn't even bare her mere _presence _in his life. She looked down at the earrings lying still in her open palm. "But I can't take these. They belong to _you_," she said, looking back up to meet her warm gaze. They weren't hers to keep.

"I wouldn't have given them to you, had you been a stranger."

A puzzled look crossed her face.

"You're a loved one, near and dear. That's why I'm giving them to you with full right." She answered with an endearing, yet determined voice.

Elizabeth put her hand on top of hers, bending Kim's fingers to fold over her palm. In a warm manner, she lightly grabbed her upper arm, urging her to accept the earrings.

Touched by her warm nature and nicety, she brought them to her lips, gently pecking them. She laced her fingers together, trapping the earrings inside her palms, and hugged them to her chest, her eyes closed. She would cherish these earrings forever.

Not a second sooner, she embraced her fervently, feeling the tears come again. Oh how badly she wanted to tell someone what she was going through, tell _Elizabeth _what she was going through. But she couldn't, she had to stay strong.

It was the first time she felt at home, wanted and loved. Just basking in her embrace for those two mere moments made her feel like all her troubles had washed away for the time being. Like.. She had hugged her mother. The love and affection she couldn't get from Katherine, she had found in Elizabeth. And indeed, Elizabeth would be there for her whenever she would need a mother. One could only hope that she gives Kim all the support she needs in the future.

When both ladies pulled away, both pairs of eyes became moist and teary-eyed as they looked on at the other.

Feeling herself getting a little too emotional and on the verge of breaking down into tears, Elizabeth regained her composure and told her that since all her clothes in her suitcase had gotten wet, she'd put them all up on the roof to dry. "If you'd like, I can send your suitcase to your room after they're dry."

Kim got a hold of herself as well, sniffling up her tears. "Oh no you needn't worry, I'll get them. I like to do things myself."

Elizabeth was truly touched once again, how marvellous was this girl. Despite knowing that there were countless housekeeping staff and butlers to do her work for her, she still preferred to do things herself. She watched and looked on as Kim politely bid her goodbye and turned around to walk out the kitchen.

"There's something very _special _about this girl."

* * *

Struggling to haul her heavy suitcase full of clothes inside, she continued to walk down the hall toward her bedroom. _Phew. Almost there, Kim. Only a few more steps. _

She absentmindedly pushed on the double doors with her right hand, her left hand occupied with holding up the suitcase by the handle. Voluntarily, she moved forward to enter the room, but was surprised when she felt herself being pushed back, almost colliding with the door. She looked at the door, and pushed repeatedly on it, but to no avail. It just wouldn't budge. How strange. Why wouldn't the door open?

Curious and puzzled, her eyes roamed keenly up and down the French double doors, looking for the reason. Her eyes landed onto the metal object binding onto the latch, and her eyes widened seeing it.

She grasped it with her right hand, peering at the inanimate object in her hand. _A lock_? It was an old-fashioned lock, seeming to be one from the 20th century. Why would anyone put such a lock on the door in today's day and age? For what purpose?

Looking up from the lock in her hand, she remembered his words this morning - "_nothing in this room is yours."_

* * *

_Flashback _

_"If you touch __anything__ in this room, it will meet the same fate as," his eyes sharply wandered to the burning shirt in front of him slowly turning to ash, "this." _

_-0-0-0-_

_"I'll make your life so miserable in this house that you yourself will leave on your own." _

_End Flashback_

* * *

The extent of his hatred for her and this marriage still left his words etched in her mind. Her face dropped, she should've known. "Jack must've done this," she told herself with a melancholy voice.

Thankfully, Katherine had come to her rescue soon. Or so she thought.

She was pleasantly surprised to hear Katherine's familiar and concerned voice as she turned around to face her.

"My my my!" Katherine said with an overly-concerned voice. "What are you doing standing outside the door, Kim?"

"Kat, actually this lock - "

"Oh. My. Goodness. Who could have put this lock on the door like that?" She breathed out a laugh, and shook her head with a smile, and that puzzled Kim. "Oh Jack, he'll never learn. When will the boy grow up?"

So she wasn't wrong in doubting Jack. He had to have done so. Even his mother thought the same. Although she knew that the logic and reasoning behind _her _thinking so was different from what _Katherine _thought. From the lighthearted tone in her voice, she could tell Kat thought of Jack putting the lock here as a little mischievous prank, just like the numerous pranks he'd pull on her when they were kids.

"Don't worry Kim. Why don't you go put your suitcase in the guest room over there, while I figure out a way to get rid of this lock." Katherine told her, telling her directions to the guest room in the process.

Kim nodded, complying to her suggestion, and made her way to the guest room in another corner of Brooke Villa.

_I think this is the corridor Kat was talking about. _Her eyes wandered around the walls as she walked through the corridor. There were so many doors to many hidden rooms. If she remembered correctly, Katherine had said the third door on the right. Her suitcase starting to get heavy on her once again, she tugged on it, hugging it so she wouldn't lose grip. She didn't want to complain, but Kim was starting to get wiped out, hauling her suitcase around everywhere.

As she approached the third door on the right, her legs gained a little speed seeing a butler closing the door, and then locking it with the turn of the latch.

"Umm, could you please open the room? I needed to put some stuff inside." She beckoned politely.

"I'm afraid I cannot, ma'am." He meekly replied with regret. "Guests from abroad are coming today, so I've set up the room for them." And with that, he left the hall to run another errand, his gaze directed towards the floor.

"Oh I am _so so _sorry, Kim!" Katherine emphatically said with a dramatic tone as she approached her standing by the door. "It completely slipped my mind that guests are coming over today." After pretending to muse for a bit, she suggested her to go to the Grand Hall, "and then I'll tell you what we can do."

Content with Katherine's idea, she picked up her suitcase into her arms, and struggled to hold it up against her chest as she walked down the corridor, making her way downstairs towards the grand hall as she instructed.

As the hall finally came into view after she descended the lavish stairs, she let out a sigh of relief. Numerous butlers were cleaning the hall, the sofas, the floors, and so on. Shania was present as well, standing beside one of the main plush sofas, munching on some peanuts and giving the staff orders like a queen.

Tired of hauling her suitcase to and fro, Kim set her suitcase down on the ground and politely sat down on the sofa that Shania was standing behind. However, she was forced to stand back up no sooner, courtesy of Shania. "The thing is Kim, the pillow covers on the sofa need to be cleaned." Poor excuse as it was, Kim nevertheless complied, standing up once again, and going over to sit on the couch adjacent to the one Shania had told her not to sit on.

And yet again, shortly after she stood up, Katherine appearing before her. "Oh I'm so sorry Kim, I'm afraid you can't sit here. My guests are coming over for our tea party today." She mused, muttering to herself about the guest room upstairs being reserved for some guests from abroad, and the hall being reserved for her own guests for the tea party. "Ah, now here's an idea. Come with me, let me show you your _place_."

Her cunning words had a quite negative connotation to it, especially the way in which she said she would show Kim her 'place.' However, Kim's confusion was quickly wavered away as Katherine explained, "I mean, where you can sit in peace and quiet." She said with what seemed like an earnest smile to Kim.

The smile reappeared on her face, and Kim nodded once again, grinning at Katherine. "And until then, I'll open Jack's - I mean, _your's and Jack's - _room, okay?" She told the girl with an endearing tone.

_Okay, sounds good. _She was entirely grateful for Katherine caring so much about her. Her inner desire of finally getting some love and affection from her was finally surfacing.

"Let's go," she suggested.

Little did she know Katherine was far from planning on showering any kind of love and affection on her. Unbeknownst to her, one look at the vicious, fierce expression on her face would convey the extent to which Katherine was keen on driving her out of Brooke Villa, and out of their lives for good.

She eagerly picked up her suitcase off the floor, wrapping her arms around it, hugging it to her chest. Katherine eyed her in a malicious manner, her jaw clenched with anger as she linked her arm under Kim's, striding away down the hall and out the open front oak doors. All the while, innocent and naive Kim looked at Kat with a smile as she dragged her out the door, and Natalie and Shania watched on with triumphant grins, getting a kick out of Kim's misery that would soon unfold.

A tight and firm hold was visible as her hand grasped her arm, still pulling her through the front path of Brooke Villa, right in front of the big Victorian gates.

She felt herself being pulled to a stop, as Katherine had stopped in her tracks, courtesy of her phone ringing.

"Oh hey Nicole darling, how are you?" She jovially greeted to the female on the other line.

Kim awkwardly looked at the ground as Katherine continued to speak about having some details about an exhibition. "Yes of course, they're in my room, I'll give them to you _right now!_" And with that, she turned on her heel to walk back towards the house.

"Kat - " she called for her to at least to tell her where to go before she leaves, but Katherine was well ahead of her. She momentarily turned around, sending her hand gestures to let her know to just stay there for two minutes, and that she would be right back.

As Katherine made her way into the interior of the villa, Kim reluctantly turned back around, facing the black barred gates in a sullen manner. She put down the suitcase onto the ground, and stood by it.

Her feet stopped to stand on the front porch, turning around to triumphantly see a melancholy Kim standing in the scorching heat by her suitcase. Katherine's phone was no longer attached to her ear, and a wide, smug grin encompassed her lips as she enjoyed marvelling in Kim's state. _And this was just the beginning. _With that, she left poor Kim standing alone outside, and walked through, inside to her home.

* * *

Talking to his buddies on his cellular, Jack walked leisurely down the halls approaching his bedroom, making plans to hang out. "Okay, see ya later. Bye."

Hanging up, he pushed open the doors to walk inside, but felt himself being pushed right back. _Huh? _He impatiently eyed the door with confusion, and repeatedly pushed on it, but to no avail. It wouldn't budge. His hand grasped a hold of the lock around the latch, and his eyes widened.

"A lock?" He said aloud.

He stared into space, recalling Kim's words on their wedding night - he could never forget her spunk and the way she gave it back to him. Tit for tat.

* * *

_Flashback _

_"What, you thought that I'd be scared of your threats?" _

_"And don't forget that my Mark brought me here." Not only did she tell Jack she wasn't afraid of him, but also showed him, literally. _

_"That's why everything in this room belongs to me as much as it does to you."_

_Her arm rested on her knee, she told him with spunk, "now I'll do as I please, and live like I want." _

_"Stop me if you can." _

_End flashback_

* * *

Those last five words snapped him like a twig, as they echoed in his ears repeatedly. His jaw clenched and he seethed out in anger, his voice escalating, "_Mark's little NIECEEE!" _

"Lizzy bear!" He called out, walking down the hall to search for her so that she could open his door for him.

**-0-0-0-**

_Marriage. _

A fairy tale dream that every girl grew up with. A dream she dared to see with full faith of being fulfilled. A day that was meant to be the happiest, the most beautiful day of her life. Waiting for the one who would fulfill those dreams with love. Unconditional and boundless love.

As she stood outside by her suitcase all by herself near the gates, her mind and heart came face to face with the harsh reality of her marriage. It was no dream.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Wake up. Dream over. Back to reality." Everything truly looked like a dream until he pushed her to the cot, revealing an evil Jack. _

_End Flashback_

* * *

Kim sat on her suitcase. She would never forget that night, she could never have fathomed the hatred that was burning inside him, and the way he set up a beautiful dream for her, only for him to crush it to pieces.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Nothing in this room is yours." She winced seeing the amount of unparalleled fury in his eyes. _

_"I can NEVER forgive you for what you did to me." _

_-0-0-0-_

_"Every moment, every second, I'll make you regret what you did." _

_"And that's a promise. To __myself__." _

_-0-0-0-_

_Despite all her attempts, her hands fiddling and playing around with the various knobs of the contraption, the water just wouldn't turn off. Leaving her clothes to become completely and utterly drenched. _

_-0-0-0-_

_"I know what you're __thinking__, and what you're __doing__."_

_"Fine. Go on. Do as you please. Wear __Mark's given clothes__, sit on the stage with me." _

_Her eyes became even more moist as he spoke the following sentence with such conviction that shook her to the core, displaying his boundless hatred for her - "but you will __never__ have __any__ place in my life." She could see the flame of fury, flickering in his eyes today. _

_"Mark's little," he let her go with a violent jerk, "NIECE." His tone was scathing. _

_-0-0-0-_

_The shirt slowly began to turn to ash, black as coal. Just like his eyes, cold as the darkness. _

_Her eyes became watery not just because of the smoke, but because of his actions_.

_"I told you. Nothing in this room is yours." _

_Kim felt the intensity of his hatred for her coming her way, and that's what shocked her to the core. _

_"If you touch __anything__ in this room, it will meet the same fate as," his eyes sharply wandered to the burning shirt in front of him slowly turning to ash, "this." _

_-0-0-0-_

And then, she thought of the final thing, the reason she was out here sitting on her suitcase in the first place:

_She grasped it with her right hand, peering at the inanimate object in her hand. __A lock?_

_End Flashback_

* * *

Her eyes moist, she looked up at a window near her, turning her neck to peer at it with sadness. Through that window was _figuratively _her room, where she lived with her husband.

Why had the dream of every normal girl turned into a nightmare for her? Why was the colour of love covered with the shadow of hatred? Why was the one she dreamed as a beautiful dream, why had her Prince turned into the beast? Was she not normal? Did she not deserve happiness? Would that be a question never answered?

But the truth was, that room belonged to only _him. _She looked away, her eyes gazing blankly at the ground in grief. She was truly all alone.

* * *

Jack impatiently waited beside James, the head butler of Brooke Villa, who along with Elizabeth, overlooked the housekeeping of their home, as he unlocked the door to his bedroom. He strode in, letting out a huge sigh of relief, and James left him to his room.

"Finally!" His eyes searched around the premise of his room, content with how peaceful and quiet it was.

"This room feels so nice without," he gladly walked over to the couch in his room and plopped onto it with a thud, arching his back with comfort, "that Mark's little niece."

He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, marvelling in the serenity and peace of the room. The curtains draped on the window right behind him soared due to the wind entering the room from the open window. He opened his eyes, and he didn't know what it was, but something was pulling him towards the window. He couldn't explain it, and so he craned his neck around to look out the window. His eyes grew wide at what he saw, and he immediately stood up, rushing around the sofa to stand by the window, pushing the curtains away.

A tear-stricken Kim, sitting on her suitcase in the scorching heat of the day. The image pulled at his heart strings, and he didn't deny it. Jack's concern was clearly showing light, and he felt bad seeing her state.

That was an understatement. Seeing Kim sitting outside like that, he was a little concerned, and also disturbed. What was she doing there sitting by her lonesome self like that? Jack's innate goodness had started coming to the fore as he saw his wife outside in the scorching heat under the Sun.

"Hey, Mark's Little Niece!" He called out to her below through the open window. But his voice did not reach her, she was too engrossed in the pain and hurt that Jack had caused her the past two days.

Kim's phone started to ring in a corner of his room, and he walked towards his dressing table to fetch it. Yet, all the while, his mind and gaze was still focused on Kim. When he reluctantly picked it up off the dresser, forcing him to turn his attention to the phone, he became worried seeing the caller ID - _Rini. _

As he walked back to the window to look at Kim again, he covered up for her, telling Rini that she's out right now and that he would get her to call her back later.

He hung up, and put his hand on the open window, peering at a tear-stricken Kim below. His mind was confused, and questioned her actions. _First, she puts a lock on the door. And then she goes outside and sits on her suitcase herself. What does this Mark's Little Niece want? _

Not wanting to waste another minute, he marched off, intent to bring her back inside.

**-0-0-0-**

"But mom, what about Dad?" Mellow Natalie questioned her mother-in-law as the trio stood in the grand hall by the sofas and coffee table. Surely, Dad wouldn't be too happy seeing his favourite niece sitting by the gates like that.

A grin was still present on Katherine's face. Oh how dumb and naive Natalie was. "Let Mr. Marcus come. She can rot out there in the heat until he arrives." Besides, in the end it would all work to _her _advantage. All part of her game plan. The day wasn't far when she'd play her final stroke, and Kim would be out of here for good.

Out of the corner of her eye, she soon saw her son coming down the hall, walking past the Grand Hall, to go what seemed like straight out the front doors. And she couldn't let that happen. At least, not before Marcus came home.

"Jack, where are you going?"

He stopped midway his tracks and turned around to reply to his mother, "Rini called. I'm just going to give the phone to her."

"I don't know what she's doing outside," he said in a curious manner to her, her phone in his hands.

"Outside? Kim's sitting outside?" Katherine clouded his vision with her pretentious care and concern for Kim. "These small town girls I tell you, it's so hard to tell what's going on in their minds."

An intrigued line was across his lips as he looked precariously at his mother. Why was she saying stuff like that about her? Granted, she didn't do right by marrying him through betrayal, but she wasn't a bad person. He knew her better than that. Something's off, and he was determined to find out what. Besides, what would she gain by just sitting out by the gates like she was?

"Anyway, I'll tell James to give her the phone, - "

"Let it be, Mom, I'll give it to her," and with that, he turned his back on her and continued to walk down the foyer towards the front doors.

"YOU were the one who wanted to stay away from her!"

His mother's remark caught him completely off-guard, stopping him in his tracks.

_Boundless. _

That one sentence got him thinking, really pondering about his actions. It was true, he wanted nothing to do with her, then why was there this unspoken feeling that urged him to go to her in her time of need? He said he hated her, couldn't stand her presence in his life, then why was it that seeing tears in her eyes sparked concern inside him? Why did he care whether she was sitting outside in the scorching heat or not?

Whatever the case may be, regardless his priority lied in bringing her back in. And so, he stepped forward to do so, but stopped immediately, frozen in his tracks. His eyes were fixed on the shocking sight before him.

An angry Marcus burst through the front oak doors, his left arm wrapped protectively around his subdued niece. Numerous butlers flew in behind him, carrying Kim's suitcase, and Marcus's belongings like his coat and briefcase. Everyone standing in the grand hall froze as the head of the Anderson family angrily strode in, a thin line of anger across his lips. Before he knew what was going on, Jack was confused to see his father stopping to stand right in front of him.

"Jack. Why did you put a lock on the door?" How gravely immature. What was he trying to prove?!

His mouth was left agape as his father reprimanded him, and Kim looked at him as if he was the culprit with hurt eyes. Katherine cunningly smiled, seeing her plan go perfectly as she planned.

"Dad I _didn't _lock the door." He said with a certain conviction in his voice, and that was what shocked Kim. How could he just lie through his teeth like that?

"Enough!" Marcus was absolutely fuming, yet still calm. "This is not a joke, it's insolent behaviour." Kim looked down, she wasn't enjoying seeing Jack being yelled at like this. "What were you thinking, locking the room? That room is _Kim's_, as much as it is yours."

"But dad, I _didn't _put the lock there!"

Marcus was taken aback by the conviction in his son's voice, and his adamant stubbornness to deny his claim. If he was so sure that he didn't do it, then maybe he didn't. The next sentence that his son spoke confirmed his thoughts.

"This question should be asked to the person who left the room _after," _glaring at Kim, "me."

"Jack, _I _didn't put the lock on the room." She objected to his fiery gaze on her. Marcus shifted his gaze from his son in front of him, to his niece beside him, noticing how much conviction she _also _had in _her _voice - "I don't even have the _key._"

Of course, all the while that the drama was unfolding, Katherine watched gleefully with a malicious glint in her eyes, happy with the turn of events.

"_You _put the lock there."

He met her eyes, shocked that she was accusing him like that.

Marcus moved his focus from Kim to Jack again. Had they _seen_ the other person put the lock on themselves?

"Jack, - " he planned to sort this matter out in a calm way, but before he could, Katherine intervened, turning the tables on the whole situation.

"Jack was with me, Mr. Marcus." All eyes were glued on Katherine hearing her bellowing, classy voice. Their eyes trailed her figure as she walked past the living area in the Grand Hall, and stopped to stand beside his son in the main foyer of Brooke Villa.

"_I _can guarantee that Jack hasn't done this."

Kim took a double take at Katherine and her words, leaving her perplexed and confused. Because of Kat, she thought about Jack actually locking the door. Otherwise, the thought of Jack being the one behind putting the lock on the door was just mere speculation. In fact, she told Marcus Jack did it with such conviction _because _Aunt Kat agreed with her, solidifying her belief. What she said before to her, and what she was saying now, were two completely different things.

"And Kim dearie! What were you doing standing out there in the heat?" _As if she didn't know. _

_Flabbergasted was an understatement for how Kim felt at that moment. _She went on to say that she _told _her to go to the guest room. But that was far from the truth. Katherine took her outside, and then got busy with attending her call. Guest room?

"But Kat, you said that, outside - "

"Yes of course, outside...!" She intervened, stretching the word outside, leaving Kim flustered and utmost confused. _"_Exactly, _outsiiiide... _To the guest room in the outhouse?" She told her with a suggestive and innocent voice.

Kim was quite confused by Katherine's sudden change in tune, and making it out as though she misunderstood her instructions. "Oh leave it be, you must've made a mistake in understanding what I said," Katherine told her with a sinfully sweet smile, lovingly placing a hand by her shoulder. "Anyway, the lock's been opened, you can go in the room now." Katherine brought her hand back to her side. The tone in her voice confused Kim further. It was such that it felt from her voice like this whole situation that had just transpired was no big deal at all.

Feeling helpless, she turned her head to meet her Uncle Mark's gaze. He sympathized with her as the Uncle-Niece duo shared a moment. In a consoling manner, he lovingly placed a hand on her head, "Kim honey, go into your room." He exchanged glances with Jack and Kim as he went on to remind that they had to go to the orphanage later this evening, as he had mentioned earlier this morning.

It wasn't the orphanage trip that made both Jack and Kim uncomfortable, but the reasoning behind it. He had an irritated expression on his face, while she had a mellow one; once again being reminded that they were going for the sole purpose of their new pious bond of marriage.

"Elizabeth," Marcus glanced with a knowing look toward the lady who was standing a bit aways from where the drama had unfolded. Loyal servant that she was, she without a doubt understood what her master wanted, and stepped forward in Kim's direction to escort her to her room.

"Come, bride." Kim obliged as Elizabeth endearingly placed her hands on her shoulders, letting her take her away from the scene.

Once she was out of sight, Marcus focused his gaze back onto the issue at hand - his son and his uncalled for actions and behaviour.

"Jack." He flinched slightly hearing his name, turning his previous gaze that was in Kim's direction watching her leave the foyer, and towards his father standing before him.

"You are _married _now. Kim is your responsibility; and I want you to fulfill this responsibility with utmost care."

_Yeah, a responsibility and burden he loathed to have on his shoulders. _

_"_And I _sincerely _hope that you won't give me a chance to feel _disappointed." _It was a statement that he needed to hear, no matter how strict and scolding it was.

Irked that his father trusted Kim more than his own son did not go down well with him. He felt like blasting at his father, and was finding it hard to keep his emotions in check. Marcus's lecture on Jack's responsibility made him fume more, he should give his wife some well-deserved advice too. Why was he getting all the heat in this situation, why the partiality? He didn't want to say something that he would end up regretting later on. In a disrespectful manner, he simply walked away from the foyer without saying a word, leaving Marcus in the hall alone with his wife and her two lackeys.

* * *

She sat down on the ground, her eyes closed and hands folded in prayer. After the dramatic scene in the foyer of Brooke Villa, she knew only one who she could turn to for solace.

_Dear Lord, please help me. Show me the right path. _

After a few more minutes of silent prayer, she slowly opened her eyes and unfolded her hands in a calm nature. A pleasant smile curved onto her lips as she saw three little bobs of heads peeking out through the open windows beside the French double doors.

Noah, Mia, and Isabelle, the three darling children of the Anderson family, peeked out from the window after they had jolted back when making brief eye contact with Kim.

Noah leaded as he stepped out carefully, and his two half-sisters followed suit. His eyes scanned innocently all around the room from behind the window, but she was nowhere to be seen. He turned around to face Isabelle, "where'd she go?"

Isabelle looked at her younger sister Mia beside her, and exchanged glances with both her siblings. "She doesn't _look _like a witch," she mused. The three of them had overheard Shania telling Joshua how she thought that Jack had married a witch, and being the excited kids they were, they wanted to see their new witch Aunt Kim for themselves.

"Did you guys know that witches have upside-down feet?" Noah said with wonder. "Like this," he demonstrated through hand gestures, flipping his tiny, soft hands downwards, fingers pointed toward the floor.

The sisters looked at their half-brother in awe and then fright, a fearful gulp resonating down their throat. The three of them wandered their gaze out the window into the empty and eerie room.

Guess there's only one way to find out. "Let's go inside and check it out," Isabelle said, stepping forward to walk to the open French doors a little bit aways from the window. Noah and Mia immediately followed her, tightly holding her hands. Isabelle's hands became sweaty as she noticed Noah on her left, and Mia on her right, squeezing the life out of her hands. But she still prodded on, she was the grown-up here. Have no fear when Isabelle is here!

But as she entered the room with wary steps and bated breath, she started to have second thoughts. What if their new witch Aunt would eat them alive? Noah and Mia seemed to agree with her inner thoughts, as they clinged onto her while they entered.

Kim watched silently behind the curtain with a happy, yet sly smile as the three kids walked into her room. She slowly emerged out of the curtain, and on her tiptoes, she sneaked up behind them.

There was still a feet of distance between them, and seizing the opportunity, she ran up in a flourish, curling her fingers into a ball in the air, "BOO!" She screamed as she scared them from behind.

The three of them scattered and yelled high-pitched child voices, terrified from Kim's scream, running around to and fro. In the midst, Kim giggled and sat down onto the couch near her. The children heard the giggling and became confused. They stopped screaming and running, standing in front of Kim, taken aback by her appearance.

She felt slightly amused, and slightly weirded out when the kids started to examine her as she sat nonchalantly on the plush sofa.

"She doesn't have crooked teeth," he told Isabelle with a low voice.

_My teeth? Crooked? _

"And her nails seem pretty normal too," Isabelle commented in a similar tone to Noah.

Kim raised her hands, and curled her fingers inwards to reveal her nails to her own self. _My nails? _She then looked back at the kids in front of her in a confused manner.

"Show us your feet," little Mia demanded in a cute voice as she looked at Kim straight in the eyes.

_Okayyy. _Kim raised her right foot into the air, wide open for the three kids to see. They looked on as she wiggled her foot left and right, showcasing how normal her foot really was.

"Her feet are normal too." An amused smile rose on her lips as she heard Noah say that her feet were normal.

"Where's that broom you come riding on?" Isabelle asked.

"BROOM?!" She questioned with exasperation. "Why?"

"Then how can she be a witch?" Isabelle looked at both her siblings standing beside her, all three of them were seriously confused. She didn't look like a witch at all!

"You guys think I'm a _witch?_"

"Well, stepmom - " Mia blurted out. If it wasn't for Isabelle clamping her mouth shut with her hand, Kim would've known that Shania had told them that Kim was a witch, and trapped Jack into marriage with her black magic powers.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all!" Kim precariously eyed the three children as Noah quickly covered up, "we have a lot of stuff to do, we're gonna go now, bye!"

The munchkins started to leave and file out the room, but they stopped and turned around when Kim spoke up.

"I have _stories_... of witches, fairies, princes and princesses!"

Their faces lit up with excitement.

"Superheroes and super villains, too!" She further enticed.

"Will you tell us a story?" Noah perked up excitedly.

"Hmm... No." She mused.

"Why?" Isabelle whined with puppy dog eyes. A face that one could absolutely NOT say no to. She already looked so cute, just like a Switzerland doll.

"Because for that, you'll have to be friends with me first."

Isabelle exchanged glances with little Noah beside her on her right, and then with her younger sister Mia on her left.

"So, how bout it? Friends?" She said, holding a hand out.

"Friends!" Isabelle was the first one to excitedly and happily shake her hand. One by one, all three kids shook hands with Kim, and they seemed to get along quite well.

"Yay!"

**-0-0-0-**

His mind was still racing as he thundered away from his father and out into the pool area. Hearing his mother call sharply out to him, he stopped in his tracks, standing by the life size decorative chess board by the pool.

"Jack, relax. I know you're upset." Katherine said, keeping her distance behind him.

_Upset? That was an __understatement__._ "She framed me in front of Dad. You were right, Mom. These small town girls can do _anything, anywhere_."

Just to create a scene in front of her Uncle Mark, she blamed him for locking the door. "You told her to go to the guest room, and she stood outside by the gates. She locked the room, and put all the blame on me," his voice rose with anger as he described to his mother his hatred for her. "She waited for Dad to come home, so that she could create a scene."

"I _hate _her." Contemptuous disdain was in his voice as he declared his hatred. The one iota of concern, care, and compassion he had for her when he saw her sitting on her suitcase vanished, and he cursed himself for ever caring about her in the first place. He never thought in his life that Kim would turn out to be so cunning. He felt _hurt, betrayed_... Yet again. "I can't tolerate her for another _second_."

And that was exactly what Katherine needed to hear from her son.

Jack at this stage was not in the right frame of mind... He'd been forced into a marriage he didn't want with a girl whom he's never got along with since a child. He felt betrayed and LOST. In such situations, a person needed guidance and support. Jack needed a shoulder to lean on; someone there to support him and guide him in this difficult situation. And he found that support in Katherine, who was obviously taking advantage of Jack's lost mind and brain washing him against Kim and Gardenia.

_K_atherine continued to pit him against Kim, provoking him against her. Seeing his aggravated expression on his face, she felt she'd instigated him enough, and changed the topic, telling him to go change, as they had to go to the orphanage soon.

If only Jack knew that this change of topic was just another way for Katherine to use Kim to get under his skin. He immediately declined with a calm voice to go to the orphanage.

"Don't say that, honey. Mr. Marcus has organized this orphanage _just _for you and Kim." She said with a mocking voice, which went unnoticed by Jack. That being said, her words did _not _go unnoticed - '_you and __Kim._'

_"_And that alone is reason enough for me not to go." He snarled, hatred emanating from his eyes. Not saying anything more, he walked away, back towards his bedroom.

* * *

**Looks like Katherine has managed to create rifts between Jack and Kim, adding fire to the already burning feud between them! Will she be successful in driving Kim out of Brooke Villa, How long will Kim be able to hold her ground for?**

* * *

Next time on BOUNDLESS:

A drunk Jack confronts a tear-stricken and humiliated Kim at the wedding banquet. A face-off erupts between the two in front of all the guests and family members.

"Sometimes you bring juice for me, sometimes a towel. Just do _one _more favour on me - "

And he dropped the bomb, shocking her beyond repair. "Give me a _**DIVORCE**_."


	6. The Banquet - Part 1

**Hello! Sorry for the late update, I've been re-vamping the story and changing some things. That being said, from this point onwards, the backdrop of this story will change. So no more Christianity, instead it's a fictional religion with a complete AU world/fictional world/country. So you have essentially two fictional main locations now - Gardenia, a small town; and Domino, a metropolitan city; the fictitious country will be quite like America. My reason for doing so is quite a long one, so I don't want to clutter the chapter with a super long AN. If you'd really like to know why, just send me a PM and i'll gladly explain. **

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**S2/E5/Chapter 15: The Wedding Banquet**

_When you feel my heat, look into my eyes_

_It's where my demons hide..._

* * *

A mother knows what is best for her child. However, when a mother becomes blinded by the glitz and glamour of society, it becomes difficult for her to lead a child towards the right path. Katherine feels that Kim is not a suitable match for her modernized son Jack. Since the day Kim had set foot into Brooke Villa, Katherine has been devising plans to have her exiled.

From putting the lock on the door to create misunderstandings between Jack and Kim, who were already in deep anguish and pain because of a forced marriage due to misunderstandings and miscommunications; to purposely putting red chilies in the food for the children at the orphanage so that Kim would witness the same and tell Marcus, and then removed those same chillies from the food before Marcus would check, leaving Kim to be the cause of Marcus's humiliation and embarrassment.

Kim tried to tell Jack she was innocent, that she did see chillies in the food. But Jack, blinded by Katherine's manipulation, refused to listen to a word she had to say, and instead lashed out on her for humiliating Marcus in front of all the orphanage staff. Even in her unconscious slumber she didn't relent, and defended herself again, talking to Jack in her sleep. Little did she know, that her words had woken Jack up and he listened to her as she kept on speaking with a lulling, sleep-talking voice.

One after the other, Kim continued to face difficulties and became a victim of Katherine's plotting as the month passed by. And to top it all off, Jack too was leaving no stone unturned to create problems for Kim.

Clearly, she was in a tough situation right now, and the only people who were expressing care towards her were her Uncle Mark, Joshua, and the three kids in the household. Kim was facing a tough time with Katherine and her two elder sister-in-laws Natalie and Shania (Joshua's wives), showing her in a bad light in every chance they got. Indeed, she was in a fix where her mother-in-law and sister-in-laws were scheming against her, and misunderstandings were increased between her and her newly wed husband.

If Kim was facing a tough time, then Jack too was on the same boat. On one hand, he was married against his wish, and to top that, his mother was filling his ears against Kim, and in this situation he swayed to whatever his mother was saying and ended up judging Kim wrongly.

The bad days wouldn't end there. Today, was the day of the wedding banquet. And it was this day that Kim and Jack were going to go through a lot of pain, tears, and anguish. She was already deeply hurt when Jack referred to their wedding as an embarrassment upon seeing his marriage in the front headlines of the city newspaper - _"Marcus Anderson's younger son found his soulmate in Gardenia", along with a picture of the wedded duo at their marriage. _

And today was the day Katherine would play her final stroke, and plot and scheme going a step further against Kim. She had decided that she would make Kim cry at her wedding banquet, which in-turn would make her regret the wedding. And she planned to do just that.

Step 1 - pretend to cough vigorously and painfully in front of Kim while she would be on her way out the house with Natalie to the hair salon to get ready for the banquet. She would tell Natalie to get her her special German cough syrup that could be found in the pharmacy department of a departmental store that could be found in the same mall that they were going to.

Step 2 - Natalie would take forever to get ready, and hence request Kim to go fetch the medicine for her; that way, they'd save time.

Step 3 - the most crucial and important step of her gameplan - while in the departmental store, Kim would collide with a girl. Said girl would use the opportunity that she herself created to slyly slip an expensive watch that was merchandise of the store into her bag, without Kim even having an inkling of the same.

Step 4 - step 3 would cause Kim to get accused of shoplifting, and caught by the security and police.

Step 5 - the final step - bring Kim, along with police, to the wedding banquet venue, the Anderson home, and create a scene in front of all the guests, humiliating her beyond measure.

However, in all her planning, she failed to realize one thing - that albeit Jack was being led astray through her manipulations, he did have a mind of his own, and was under no one's control - not Kim, and _not _Katherine. Looks like along with Kim, she was surely in for a surprise as well.

Her plan was going along perfectly fine. All up until Step 4. She very well missed out on the fact that Kim could indeed call to her husband for help. But she was too busy in trying to create resentment in the minds of Kim and Jack for each other, that she didn't think of the same.

* * *

_Oh no, what do I do now? Nobody is picking up! _The police and security guards around her began to get rambunctious and forcibly gripped her by her arms, despite her protests.

"Please, please, just one last call!"

As the police reluctantly let go, Kim used her finger to hastily scroll down the contacts in her phone, trying to think of _anyone _that could help.

_Ezra _

_Gayle_

_Irene_

_Jack. _

_Jack. _He was her last hope. Her fingers quivering, she called him up, and sincerely hoped he would answer for once.

Jack sat behind the wheel in his car outside Brooke Villa. He picked up the phone as it vibrated on his dashboard, the screen lighting up with the name Kim. Bringing it to his ear, he answered the call, but yet said nothing.

"Jack - Jack, I've been arrested by the police," she said in a frenzy, thankful to the Almighty that he had answered her call.

"What?!" He said with a slightly shocked yet calm voice. A tear slipped out of her right eye and streamed down her cheek with worry and fright.

"Give the phone to them." His voice was eerily calm.

"Ye-yea, one sec." Hearing the determination in his voice, she felt relieved and completely complied, swiftly turning around in a frenzy to hand her phone to the police officer standing in front of her. "Here, talk to my... - _husband._"

At her declaration of husband, he winced slightly and looked away from the front dashboard he was blankly staring away at previously.

Having full faith and trust in Jack, she peered at the officer as he listened to everything that Jack had to say on the other line.

"Okay," the officer said, cutting the call.

With bated breath, she gaped away and awaited the officer's verdict, hopeful that all the misunderstandings were now cleared, and that she was declared innocent. In return, after listening to her husband's words, he looked at her in a scrutinizing manner.

* * *

The wedding banquet at Brooke Villa was going on in full swing. The guests had all arrived, wearing the most posh outfits and accessories, and the decor was lit up with extravagant curtains, bouquets, and other similar things, making the venue a grand celebration.

The only problem? The husband and wife, for whom this banquet was being held, were nowhere to be seen. Even the guests attending were getting restless to see the Anderson family's prized new daughter-in-law. They'd heard she was quite the looker.

Marcus was starting to get restless. His tension was cleared when Kim had called him, and Katherine had oddly taken a hold of his phone in his hand before he could answer, saying that she would talk to Kim for him. But that didn't explain where Jack was, no one knew. His face was calm as he made small-talk and attended his guests, but he was all the more concerned for his beloved son. Not able to take it anymore, he beckoned Joshua to give Jack a call, and ask him where he is.

Complying, he nodded and took out his phone from his coat pocket, putting it to his ear and calling his younger brother. Alas, he stopped midway.

"Your boyo is here, DAD!"

Marcus's eyes widened with shock as he turned around to look at the front entrance, which was where he thought he heard his son's familiar voice coming from.

His son barged in to the wedding banquet, making a fashionably late entry, but nowhere near what anyone would think. He was drunk out of his mind, barely able to stand up and walk in a straight line. Wearing black dress pants, a white buttoned up shirt, and a black blazer coat on top, he strode in like a gatecrasher to his own wedding banquet; he tripped on his own two feet while doing so, his back colliding with the open, extravagantly decorated oak door. A liquor flask in hand, he eyed the surroundings in front of him with a sinister, sweet smile, grasping everyone's undivided attention.

Even Katherine was utmost shocked to see her son in this state. What had he done to himself! He looked drunk out of his mind; blood-shot eyes, that sly, eerie smile, and his clothes all rumpled; his collar was popped in a messy manner, with one flap up and the other down. She could only imagine what her husband was going through; everyone knew if there was _one _thing the man was firm about, it was alcohol. It was _forbidden _in their religion. Forget consuming it, even the mere presence of it irked him.

He stumbled to and fro, light on his feet, not able to walk in a straight line, as he entered the grand hall filled with splendour and gaping faces. His lips curved upwards, amused. _Wow, impressive. Lavish curtains, top-notch decorations and food, and it was all for him and - _

_CRASH! _He walked with an unsteady gait, and striked a waiter. Minding his own business, carrying a tray of expensive mocktails in wine glasses, he collided with Jack, sending the both of them almost tumbling down to the ground. All the drinks on the tray and the tray itself, as well as the liquor flask that he had in his hand dropped onto the floor with a clash, and it all shattered on the marble floor. The waiter hung onto him by his shoulders upon reflex, and slowly they both got up to stand again.

The waiter pleaded and begged him repeatedly for forgiveness, oh how clumsy was he!

"Why YOU sorry! _Me_ sorry!" His words came out slurred and kiddish-like as he patted the waiter's chest, and then his own.

In a flurry, his mother ran up to him, taking a hold of him by his shoulders, as the waiter was finding it hard to handle her son. Not able to hold his ground, he happily put his arm around his mother's shoulder as she held onto his sluggish figure.

She cupped her hand on his cheek as she still held on, "Jack, you're.. _Drunk?_"

Katherine worriedly looked over at her husband who was shell-shocked at Jack's behavior and appearance. He looked ashamed, hurt, and _pained _that his son, who he loved deeply, had resorted to alcohol. She knew instantly she had to do something before things would get out of hand.

Marcus looked on as Jack giggled and laughed, "Sorry Mom, sorry sorry sorry." He laughed again as he looked eye to eye at his appalled father.

The next thing he knew, Joshua had taken a hold of him, and he leaned onto him for support. Boy, he sure felt like he was being passed like a parcel. As Joshua started to walk further into the hall to take him inside to his room, he thought of only one thing -

_Hot potato, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on, you are - _He giggled fervently again, - OUT!

Joshua was on the verge of passing his father, but Jack stopped him. "Not today, bro. I need to talk to Dad."

He didn't give up on his little brother. He helped him up again, his grip around his waist tighter in an effort to take him up into his room. "Later, Jack. Let's go to your room first."

But unfortunately, they went in vain. He broke free suddenly, determined. However, he still found it hard to stand, and so Joshua wrapped his arms around him again as Jack spoke in a determined, loud voice for everyone to hear -

"I NEED to talk to Dad - RIGHT HERE, RIGHT _NOW!_"

His father had definitely gained his undivided attention, as his whole focus was now on his son's profusely drunken state. He wanted a confrontation, he wanted to say something. So be it. Moreover, his mother looked worriedly at the father-son duo back and forth, tensed about the scene that would be created.

"Sorry dad," he staggered on his feet as he leaned onto his older brother's shoulder, and with a relaxed voice he said, "I - " He let out a brief laugh, "I'm really _drunk _today."

"I know that you really," he started to lose his balance again, "really _hate _it, it really _irks_ you."

"But you know _why _I got drunk?" He slurred. "Because YOUR NIECE thinks that everything of MINE is _hers!_" He said, jabbing his hand on his own chest after waving his hand all around his surroundings, showing that everything, his home, his possessions, his family members, every little thing that he deemed important in his life and only HIS, was now hers.

"You know what she did? She.. - " his father awaited his son's response as he took a dramatic pause.

"She emptiedallthewineinmywinebottleintothesink!" He exclaimed, his words tumbling from his mouth in a rush of barely distinguishable syllables. "SHE has the right to touch all that!" The look in his eyes was no longer playful - it was dead serious, pained, and deadly even.

He silently listened to his son's outburst. On the inside, it hurt him that Jack kept a wine bottle inside the Anderson home to begin with, but he said nothing still.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

He escaped from his brother's arms, and jumped into his mother's, who was now standing a bit aways from him. Affectionate towards her child, she held him up by his waist as he continued, and put a hand to his cheek to comfort him as she looked at her husband standing in front of her.

"That's right I forgot." He looked briefly at his mother with a smile and then back towards his father, "Mom, he can't hear a _word _against his _niece_." His words came out slurred from his mouth, yet understandable.

Everyone present was shocked at the disrespect Jack was showing to his dad, or perhaps shocked that the Anderson family's son was so unhappy with his marriage. And his own father had no inkling of the same. Or did he?

"But today you _will _have to hear it. Because TODAY JACK ANDERSON WILL SPEAK."

"This HOUSE, this FAMILY, my ROOM... ALL OF THIS!" He gestured with his hands as he stood on his own on his two feet. "I was really _possessive_ about all of this, Dad." His voice was now soft, but immensely hurt.

His father looked down at the ground, avoiding his son's gaze.

And then his voice rose again, frustrated. "But that," he rose his index finger and pointed into thin air, "_niece - _what, she thinks she can do anything?" He questioned in a sarcastic, aggravated manner.

"No, dad." He staggered, losing balance again, coming closer to his father to face him with no fear. "You know why she did all this? Because _she _thinks," he laughed in disbelief, "she thinks that she's my _wife_. And that _this banquet _is," standing firmly on his two feet again, raising his hands upwards in the air he continued, "NECESSARY!"

He looked at all the people staring away at him in a circle, with himself and his father in the dead centre.

"SHE thinks that SHE'S my _wife_," he scoffed and continued, "and _I _her _HUSBAND_."

Marcus blinked his eyes back, devoid of emotion, at the reason of Jack's outburst and drunken nature. The next thing that he did shocked him, along with everyone else present at the party, even more.

"BLOODY HELL!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, throwing a fit, his hands slamming down towards the ground.

"Shut up Jack." He declared with an ominous voice as his son glared at him with a pool of pain, betrayal, and hatred. His face was covered with a layer of tears. Tears of agony and suffering.

All present members of the Anderson family - Katherine, Shania, and Joshua - looked on with various expressions, shocked that Marcus had raised his voice on him so ominously, and also beyond shocked at Jack's violent cry.

Staggering up to him, Jack was not affected by his father's reprimanding words. "Of course you're gonna shut me up." He clamped his hand onto his shoulder, his body frame leaning onto him, yet his feet firm to make a point. "You shut me up in Gardenia," he looked into his father's eyes, "I said nothing."

His words slurred as they came out of his mouth, "you shut me up at the wedding - I said nothing." His father wrapped his arms around him to keep him on his feet, as the alcohol kicked in again and was making him lose balance.

"But today I _will _speak, Dad." He took his hand off his father's shoulder, and took a step back, escaping Marcus's comforting hold on him.

"In just a _mere _second, my life has turned _upside d-" _What had his life come to?

Oooof! The next thing he knew, he had fallen down to the ground with a thud. He looked around him as he realized he was no longer head-to-head level with anyone at the party, and that his behind was currently on the marble floor, his legs sprawled out.

Everyone looked at the clueless and pained boy with sympathy, and Katherine inched closer to him, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. And yet, she maintained a little bit of distance from him, letting him know she was here for her son if need be.

He scooted backwards closer to his mother as he began to question his father. "Why Dad, _why? _You just married me off?! You didn't even ask me?" Not being asked by either Marcus or Kim, if he was ever ready for this marriage, how much he hated Kim because she was tied to him. "You didn't ask me what _I _was going through? What _pain _and _suffering _I'm going through?"

_My life? What about MY life and MY choice? _

Putting a hand on his mother's hand that was on his shoulder, he briefly craned his neck to look up at her, "you know mom, when I was little," and then looked back up at his father standing a bit away from him. "When Dad would buy a lollipop for me, he would ask me - kiddo," he laughed at the sweet irony of the memory, "you want chocolate or vanilla flavoured?" _You asked which flavour lollipop I'd prefer, vanilla or chocolate; but, __this__ decision was taken without my consent? _

His father looked down at the ground, away from his gaze. He couldn't face his son who was rightly so, deeply hurt and pained inside. Jack looked expectantly at him, who was avoiding his gaze. Betrayal in the highest formfrom the two people he trusted the most - Marcus and Kim.

"And now.. When today is one of the most important days of my life," he stumbled on his feet trying to stand again, and his mother tried to help him get up, "_my _happiness - " He got up with the help of Katherine to stand up on his two feet, and once he was, he violently jerked away her hands, facing his father again. "You threw my happiness out the window, Dad?"

Marcus met his son's gaze as he staggered up to him and questioned him with a crooked smile, flailing arms that refused to stay still by his body, and bloodshot eyes. "You didn't even bother to _ask _me, Dad?"

He stepped forward and firmly put his hands on his upper arms, "Jack." And yet, he did so in a comforting and fatherly manner who was concerned about his child. "Because I _know_, that this is the _right _decision for you."

"NO DAD!" He violently broke free, throwing an enraged fit, slamming his hands toward the ground.

Marcus was taken aback at his outburst, yet said nothing.

"This decision could _never _be right for me!" He protested. His legs wobbling in place, he chuckled, "this decision, it's only right for your _niece_, Dad." With a staggering gait, he said, "not for me."

A crooked smile appeared again on his lips, "And you know _why _it isn't right for me?" He paused as Marcus awaited his answer, "because I _hate_ her, Dad."

Now it was no secret. The whole world now knew the reality behind Jack and Kim's relationship. It was no happy bond, and the amount and extent of hatred that he had for his wife was revealed. Some, like Shania and Katherine, were happy with the revelation; while others, like Elizabeth and Marcus, were shocked; yet others were sympathetic, yet could do nothing to ease his pain, like Milton.

"I hate her more than I've ever hated _anyone_, in my entire life."

Marcus was utmost grieved and at a loss for words for how much Jack really did _hate _Kim. His pain, his suffering, his longing, was coming to the fore for him, and he could do nothing but let Jack let out all his frustrations.

"Every little second, every little _moment_, I've _put up _with her."

His hatred was not just stemming from Katherine's manipulation, but was stemming from two people he trust the most... Marcus, who didn't bother asking him whether he even wanted to get married in the first place, and then there was Kim. He trusted her to back away, but she betrayed him by agreeing to the marriage.

"Why did you do this to me, Dad?" He was fully drowned in his drunkard state. "Why?"

He walked up to his son and comfortingly grabbed a hold of his arms, "Jack." He was inebriated right now, he didn't know what he was doing or saying. He said the following words with so much conviction that they echoed throughout the walls of the Anderson home.

"You're not in your senses right now. But the day you _will be_ in your senses, that day you'll realize how _right _my decision really is."

For once, Jack stayed still as his father still had his hold on his arms, and he flinched hearing the conviction in his voice. Even his mother was taken aback by the confidence with which he declared his statement.

"How right _Kim _is for you." It was as if Marcus was completely certain that she was made for him, and him for her. Like soul-mates, true love.

_Yeah right. _A wide drunken smile was on his lips, "really Dad? _Really?" _He openly and heartily laughed in response to his father' words as he staggered backwards away from him, and clapped his hands together in unison repeatedly as if to make a mockery of his father's words and unparalleled belief in his niece.

After settling down from his uncontrollable fit of laughter, he looks eye-to-eye at his father, "I _pity _your trust, Dad."

"You trust your _niece _more than," he jabbed his finger on his chest and lurched slightly forward, "_me?" _He questioned in a sarcastic manner.

Stone-faced, Marcus stared deeply at his son's state as Jack didn't stop there. "No worries. You'll see."

"But you know what _Dad, _what I'm trying to say is - " his mouth popped into an o-shape, and he stopped his sentence, leaving it hanging in the air midway. Marcus was left confused at his action.

He put a finger to his lips, "shhhh..." He trailed off, his voice dwindling down to a mere whisper.

It then rose with a crescendo as if to reveal a big show to top this whole night off, "_SURPRISE!" _

_"_Just wait till your niece gets here." He declared with a smirk. "You'll see, Dad."

Marcus looked at his son's drunken state bearing a half-smile, his eyes suddenly lighting up looking towards the front oak doors. That confused him, but his confusion only reached a heightened state of disarray when Jack slowly and painstakingly raised his hand in the air, pointing his index finger at the entry doors of Brooke Villa.

He followed his son's gaze and turned his head towards the front door, confused as to who or what was so special at the door that it was a surprise for him.

Anger and rage enveloped the man as he was utterly shocked at who came through inside to the Grand Hall, his eyes growing wide at the revelation.

The seriousness of the situation dawned on him as a teary-eyed and distressed Kim strolled through. Oh but she wasn't alone. Police officers aggressively held her by the arms, dragging her inside, wide open for everyone to see her state. She was unable to meet anyone's gaze as they all looked on, gaping away at her and her police posse.

And Jack? He had this sort of smile to see her. His heart was happy to see her safe and sound, but his mind took over, the hatred giving it a sly look.

He didn't hate her because his dearest mommy was manipulating him, but simply because she BROKE his trust. He could never forgive her for it.

Jack Anderson, the broken soul came out into light today.

* * *

**What did this banquet further have in store for Jack and Kim, and what confrontation will erupt between them? Find out next week on an all-new episode/chapter of BOUNDLESS!**

* * *

**PRECAP:**

Jack to Kim:

"Sometimes you bring a towel for me, sometimes a glass of juice. You give _big _speeches on _religion _and _tradition_. If you care about me so much, then just do me one more favour -

"Give me a DIVORCE."


End file.
